China and Pakistan vowed to "strengthen strategic communication and coordination" as they seek to help broker a deal to end the war in Iran, now in its fifth week with no clear end in sight.
Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, in Beijing on March 31 and reiterated their call for Iran and the United States to work toward ending the war, which has killed thousands across at least nine countries and is costing economies billions of dollars a day.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said both sides agreed to pursue de-escalation and that the two countries will "jointly advocate for peace and justice, and make new efforts to promote reconciliation and prevent conflict."
Pakistan has emerged as a key player in efforts to broker peace, leveraging its working ties with both US President Donald Trump and longstanding bonds with Iran. The push comes as Beijing and Islamabad seek to position themselves as stabilizing actors while avoiding direct entanglement in the widening conflict.
Dar hosted foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt in Islamabad on March 29 in an effort to build consensus around a cease-fire and renewed negotiations.
Pakistani officials say the initiative centers on five principles, including civilian protection and maritime security.
"Pakistan is very happy that both Iran and the US have expressed their confidence in Pakistan to facilitate their talks," Dar said in a televised briefing after the talks.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif framed the effort as part of a push to position Pakistan as a "credible intermediary," leveraging ties with Washington and Tehran.
China has publicly backed the initiative, with Mao saying following the talks that Beijing "appreciates Pakistan's efforts."
Iran's response has been cautious, though reports suggest Tehran may be using Pakistani channels for indirect communication with Washington.
On March 26, Dar said Islamabad has been serving as a conduit for message exchanges between Washington and Tehran.
Shipping Disruptions Intensify Diplomacy
Diplomatic urgency is rising amid mounting disruptions to maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global energy shipments, particularly oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Shipping has slowed sharply since the United States and Israel launched their military operation against Iran on February 28, with vessels delayed and exports from Gulf producers constrained.
China confirmed that several of its ships recently transited the strait following "coordination with relevant parties." Data from MarineTraffic showed two vessels belonging to the Chinese state-owned COSCO shipping company passing through the strait on March 30 after aborting earlier attempts.
Iran has indicated the waterway remains open to "friendly countries," widely interpreted to include China, its top oil customer.
China relies heavily on energy from the Middle East, particularly seaborne exports that pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
China has so far weathered the worst shocks of the energy crisis thanks to diversified supply, falling domestic demand, and strategic reserves. According to Kpler, a commodity intelligence firm, Chinese refineries had stockpiled between 1.2 and 1.4 billion barrels of oil as of the end of 2025, which could last up to three months.
Beijing's response has been comparatively restrained, analysts say.
"Beijing prefers the restoration of stability over an expanded role in a more turbulent order. It wants access to energy, markets, and influence in the Middle East -- not the burdens of regional stabilization or balancing among competing powers," Zongyuan Zoe Liu, a senior fellow at the Council for Foreign Relations, wrote in Foreign Affairs magazine on March 30.
Trump has sent varying signals about Washington's next steps for the war, saying the United States was already negotiating with Tehran while also suggesting the military campaign could expand.
Iran has repeatedly denied it is in talks with the United States.
