China urges de-escalation in South China Sea and beyond

On July 22, 2026, China called on other countries to stop fueling confrontation in the South China Sea, specifically criticizing Australia's foreign minister for comments Beijing says incite tension. Separately, China and Russia jointly urged the US and Iran to end fighting as soon as possible. India also welcomed the normalization of ties with China. The common thread is China's push for reduced conflict in multiple regions.