BEIJING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- China's top diplomat Wang Yi on Wednesday urged avoiding further casualties and losses regarding the war raging in the Middle East, and pledged China's mediation efforts to facilitate a ceasefire.

Wang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, made the remarks in talks with Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, special envoy of the president of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to China, in Beijing.

Conveying President Xi Jinping's cordial greetings to President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Wang said under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, the China-UAE relations have made considerable progress.

Amid the once-in-a-century shifts evolving at a faster pace, the fluid and turbulent international situation and the unsettling war in the Middle East, China-UAE relations carry more prominent strategic significance. Timely strategic communication and the enhancement of strategic mutual trust between the two sides are increasingly important, as these elements contribute to the early realization of peace and stability in the Middle East, said Wang.

He said China is willing to intensify high-level exchanges with the UAE, deepen the alignment of development strategies, and push the China-UAE comprehensive strategic partnership to a higher level.

Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak conveyed President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan's sincere greetings to President Xi, noting that the UAE-China relations have reached an unprecedented high level.

The UAE regards China as a dependable and trustworthy true friend, and is confident about China's future development, Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak said.

He said the UAE is willing to strengthen high-level exchanges with China, deepen cooperation in education, culture, energy and economy, among others, as well as advance the development of bilateral relations.

Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak also briefed on the latest developments of the Middle East situation.

Reiterating China's principled positions, Wang expressed gratitude to the UAE for its efforts in ensuring the safety of Chinese citizens and institutions, and emphasized that this war should never have occurred and there is no need for it to continue, calling for avoiding greater casualties and losses.

China firmly supports the UAE in safeguarding its sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity, condemns attacks targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure, and will continue efforts to mediate a ceasefire and an end to hostilities, so that peace and stability will be restored in the Middle East at an early date, Wang said. ■