Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has called on countries to form a “joint force” to resolve the escalating conflict in the Middle East, telling his counterparts in Jordan and Egypt that Beijing stood “firm” with Arab nations.
In a call with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on Tuesday, Wang stressed that a “full and permanent” ceasefire in Gaza was key to avoiding a deterioration in the regional situation.
He added that the “international community should make a more consistent voice … and form a joint force”, according to a readout from the Chinese foreign ministry.
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Wang said that China is willing to maintain communication and coordination with Jordan – seen as a key player in the Middle East – to push for a resumption of ceasefire negotiations.
“China will continue to stand firm with Arab countries, support all efforts that are conducive to achieving a permanent and full ceasefire in Gaza, avoid further escalation of conflicts and confrontations, and promote the easing of the situation in the Middle East as soon as possible.”
According to the readout, Safadi noted China’s “objective and fair position” on the Israel-Palestine issue and said that Jordan “expects and believes that China will play a more important role in promoting a ceasefire and stopping the war”.
Safadi, who is also Jordan’s deputy prime minister, urged countries to take immediate action to prevent an escalation of the conflict and “ultimately achieve the independence of Palestine as a sovereign state through the two-state solution”.
Wang and Safadi’s call came shortly after the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran, which Tehran has blamed on Israel and vowed to attack in retaliation.
According to the readout, Safadi told the top Chinese diplomat that the assassination has further heightened tensions in the region, and described the situation as “very dangerous”.
Wang reiterated Beijing’s official condemnation of the assassination, pointing out that the attack had undermined the negotiation process that was under way for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Speaking to his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty in a separate call on Tuesday, Wang said the assassination had pushed the regional situation to “a more dangerous height”.
Wang said China “resolutely opposes and strongly condemns [acts] that violate the basic principles of the UN Charter, infringe on Iran’s sovereignty and dignity, severely undermine efforts to promote peace, and make a ceasefire in Gaza increasingly unattainable”.
“China will strengthen solidarity with Arab countries and work with all parties to avoid further escalation and deterioration of the situation,” he said, according to a Chinese foreign ministry statement.
Abdelatty said Egypt appreciated China’s “important role” in promoting peace in the Middle East.
Earlier this week in a call with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Abdelatty urged the US to pressure Israel to “cease its brinkmanship and engage seriously in ceasefire negotiations in Gaza”.
Since the start of the war in Gaza last October, China has stepped up its efforts to play a larger role in Middle East diplomacy, most recently brokering a pact to end division between rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas.
Wang said the agreement, signed last month, was an “important, historic moment in the Palestinian cause”, while a foreign ministry statement called it a first step to promoting a “comprehensive, durable and sustainable ceasefire” in Gaza.
China’s approach to the Middle East crisis has largely focused on its push for a two-state solution while calling for a ceasefire. Israel has taken issue with Beijing’s lack of condemnation for the Hamas attack in October that triggered the war.
This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP’s Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright © 2024 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
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