BEIJING (AP) — China’s high diplomat welcomed 4 Arab overseas ministers and the Indonesian one to Beijing on Monday, saying his nation would work with “our brothers and sisters” within the Arab and Islamic world to attempt to finish the warfare in Gaza as quickly as doable.
The ministers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, the Palestinian Authority and Indonesia selected to start out a tour of world capitals in Beijing, a testomony to each China‘s growing geopolitical influence and its longstanding support for the Palestinians.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told the foreign diplomats that their decision to start in Beijing shows their high level of trust in his nation.
“China is a good friend and brother of Arab and Islamic countries,” Wang said in opening remarks at a state guest house before their talks began. “We have always firmly safeguarded the legitimate rights and interests of Arab (and) Islamic countries and have always firmly supported the just cause of the Palestinian people.”
China has long backed the Palestinians and been quick to denounce Israel over its settlements in the occupied territories. It has not criticized the initial Hamas attack on Oct.7 — which killed about 1,200 people – while the United States and others have called it an act of terrorism. However, China does have growing economic ties with Israel.
The Saudi foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, called for an immediate cease-fire and the entry of humanitarian aid and relief to the Gaza Strip.
“There are still dangerous developments ahead of us and an urgent humanitarian crisis that requires an international mobilization to deal with and counter it,” he said.
He added they appreciated the resolution issued by the United Nations Security Council, calling for urgent and extended humanitarian pauses in Gaza, “but we still need more efforts and cooperation.”
China – the world’s second-largest economic system after the U.S. — has change into more and more outspoken on worldwide affairs and even gotten straight concerned in some not too long ago, albeit cautiously.
In March, Beijing helped dealer an settlement that noticed Saudi Arabia and Iran reestablish ties after seven years of stress in a job beforehand reserved for longtime international heavyweights just like the U.S. and Russia.
The 5 overseas ministers will go to various capitals in an effort to pursue a cease-fire, get help into Gaza and finish the warfare, Prince Faisal stated final weekend. The secretary common of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Hissein Brahim Taha, can be accompanying them to Beijing.
Israel’s retaliatory strikes on the Gaza Strip have to this point killed greater than 11,500 individuals, in accordance with Palestinian well being authorities. Another 2,700 have been reported lacking, believed buried in rubble.
“This isn’t Israel’s first war against the Palestinian people,” stated Riyad Al-Maliki, the Palestinian Authority overseas minister. “However, Israel wants this to be its last war, where it takes full control of the Palestinian people’s presence on what’s left of the historical land of Palestine.”
Israel’s ambassador to China, Irit Ben-Abba, stated Monday, that her nation is permitting ample humanitarian help into Gaza in collaboration with worldwide organizations and that “putting pressure on Israel in this regard is politically motivated and is not conducive to the humanitarian assistance which is needed.”
She additionally stated that they hoped for “no one-sided” decision by the Security Council and that they anticipated a transparent assertion calling for the “unconditional release of the 240 hostages” who have been kidnapped by Hamas throughout its assaults, “rather than calling for a cease-fire.”
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Associated Press video producer Olivia Zhang in Beijing and author Kareem Chehayeb in Beirut contributed to this report.
