China will focus on Israel-Hamas ceasefire as UN Security Council president, its ambassador says

Ensuring humanitarian aid to Palestinians and advancing two-state solution also priorities as Beijing begins one-month term heading pivotal body

China ‘not that influential’ in Middle East, says Zhang Jun, as US urges it to use sway over Hamas supporters Iran and Russia

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Zhang Jun, China’s ambassador to the United Nations, addresses members of the UN Security Council in New York on Monday. Photo: AP

Published: 5:45am, 2 Nov 2023Updated: 1:46am, 3 Nov 2023

China will focus on helping effect a ceasefire in Israel and Gaza, ensure humanitarian aid flows to Palestinians and push for a political settlement based on a two-state solution, Beijing’s top United Nations diplomat said as the country assumed the presidency of the UN Security Council on Wednesday.

The one-month term in the rotating presidency comes as the council faces growing pressure to bring an end to the Middle East crisis – or even agree on a unified stance – amid sharpening criticism that the body is partisan, costly and ineffective in an increasingly unstable world.

Zhang Jun, China’s ambassador to the UN, told reporters in a briefing on Wednesday that his country was “not that influential” in the region but would do its best.

“We want to stop the conflict, we want to see this ceasefire to be realised, we want to have less people to be killed, less casualties,” Zhang said. “And we do not have any private interest in that region … But we are on the side of peace and we are on the side of justice.”

Hamas, which governs the densely populated Gaza Strip and is listed as a terrorist organisation by Washington, attacked Israel on October 7, killing some 1,400 people, according to Israel. And at least 8,800 Gaza residents have been killed in Israeli counterstrikes, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.