The appointment of a special representative to the Middle East is symbolic of China's desire to play a larger role in world affairs but the envoy will have limited influence on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, diplomats said yesterday.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said on Tuesday Wang Shijie had been named as a special envoy, following longstanding calls by Arab states for a bigger Chinese influence in the region. 'This move will serve to promote our links with Palestine and Israel and with consultations with the international community we will make unremitting efforts to this end,' he said.
Mr Wang, 66, a fluent English and Arabic speaker, has served as China's ambassador to Bahrain, Jordan and Iran and in his country's delegation to the United Nations. He is a specialist in North African and West Asian affairs.
A Western diplomat in Beijing said Israel would not accept Mr Wang as a mediator.
'Israel was not consulted about this appointment and learnt about it first on Sunday, when Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan informed his Israeli counterpart, Shimon Peres, at the United Nations,' the diplomat said.
'Israel has never asked for anyone to come and interfere, except the US.
'The Israeli position is that this is a bilateral conflict that should be solved bilaterally and that it does not need more mediators but a partner on the Palestinian side who could stop terrorism. A third party is not welcome to interfere.'