China and Pakistan Advance Five-Point Peace Plan; South Africa Joins Diplomatic Push
April 6—On March 31, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar met in Beijing and jointly released a five-point initiative for restoring peace and stability in the Persian Gulf and Middle East. The plan calls for: (1) an immediate cessation of hostilities and humanitarian access to all war-affected areas; (2) the start of peace talks as soon as possible, with all parties refraining from the use or threat of force during negotiations; (3) an end to attacks on civilians and non-military targets, including energy, desalination, and power infrastructure; (4) safe passage for civilian and commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz; and (5) a comprehensive peace framework grounded in the UN Charter and international law.
The announcement marked the first time a major global power had formally stated a pathway to end the war. China is Iran’s largest trading partner and has refrained from military assistance to Tehran while repeatedly calling for a ceasefire. Pakistan has been serving as a back-channel between Washington and Tehran, and Dar said Islamabad is prepared to host direct talks between the two sides.
The plan is now being extended to embrace Africa. On April 3, China’s Ambassador to Pretoria Wu Peng summarized it for South African state broadcaster SABC in three words—“Cease, talk, and ensure”—and asked South Africa to work with China and Pakistan to make it happen. South Africa’s Minister of International Affairs and Cooperation Ron Lamola has already spoken with his counterparts in all six GCC governments and subsequently contacted Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to relay their views.
The diplomatic push operates in parallel with a regional track. Egypt, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan met in Islamabad on March 29, agreeing that the war is “not in favor of anyone” and that dialogue is “the only viable pathway.” That grouping’s work is now being reinforced by the Chinese-Pakistani initiative and South Africa’s outreach to both the GCC and Iran.
Sources close to the White House say the Trump Administration says the proposals are not specific enough and are too general to move forward with, although they welcome the initiative. These sources say that to move forward now, China should put pressure on Tehran to open the Straits of Hormuz and to renounce the development of nuclear weapons; such statements would reinforce efforts being made in back-channel discussions between Tehran and the U.S. All this may be a moot point, as Trump has given Tehran until Tuesday night to open the Strait, or face "utter destruction," which would include destroying bridges and power infrastructure.