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, pledging China's efforts for mediation to work for 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 to China, here in Beijing.  ■