China ready to improve ties with Russia over Middle East situation

China is eager to strengthen strategic cooperation with Russia to resolve the situation in the Middle East following Iran’s strikes on U.S. military bases in Iraq, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on Thursday.

SEE ALSO: Australia Calls For Another Mass Evacuation As Monster Bushfires Return

“The Chinese side is ready to further strengthen strategic contact and cooperation with Russia, (and) together defend international justice, regional peace, and play a constructive role in resolving the current situation in the Middle East,” the spokesman said at a briefing.

Geng added that Beijing was closely monitoring the situation in the region and discussing it with all parties involved, including Russia.

Last week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, had a phone call to discuss the fallout from the U.S. drone attack that killed Qasem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s elite Quds Force.

“China and Russia are partners in comprehensive strategic cooperation and permanent members of the UN Security Council.

“The positions of Russia and China on important international and regional issues are very similar.

Tensions in the Middle East escalated in late December after the Pentagon carried out “defensive strikes” against five Kata’ib Hezbollah facilities in Iraq and Syria in retaliation for the Iranian-backed group’s attack on a U.S. base near the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk.

The attack on the base left one U.S. defence contractor dead.

On Jan. 3, the U.S. ordered the airstrike that killed Soleimani, who was allegedly planning an attack on the U.S. embassy in Iraq.

A few days later, Iran retaliated by launching missiles at two military bases housing U.S. troops in Iraq.

In a Wednesday address, U.S. President Donald Trump pledged to impose new sanctions on Iran but made no mention of a military response.