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China-Middle East relations
ChinaDiplomacy

Israel-Hamas war: China’s Wang Yi says Palestine issue ‘crux’ of Middle East affairs

  • Beijing steps up diplomatic engagement with flurry of calls for ceasefire and peace talks based on two-state solution
  • China’s envoy for the Middle East has also spoken to senior Israeli and Palestinian Authority officials in recent days

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Palestinians look for survivors after an Israeli airstrike on the Rafah refugee camp in the southern Gaza Strip on Thursday. Photo: AP
Liu Zhen,Zhao ZiwenandAlyssa Chen
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has called for the realisation of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian nation, in his first public comments about the conflict in the Middle East since the crisis began on Saturday.
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His comments – ahead of a UN Security Council emergency meeting taking place on Friday – are part of China’s mediation efforts in recent days, with its Middle East envoy also speaking to leaders on both sides of the conflict.

Wang was speaking by phone on Thursday to Celso Luiz Nunes Amorim, chief adviser to Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who advised that the Security Council meeting would take place, according to the Chinese foreign ministry.

Brazil holds the rotating presidency of the council this month and will host the emergency session.

Also on Thursday, special envoy for Middle East affairs Zhai Jun called for a ceasefire, in what was China’s first public contact with Israel since the attack by Hamas.

03:43

Protesters on both sides of Israel-Hamas conflict flood streets around the world

Protesters on both sides of Israel-Hamas conflict flood streets around the world

In a phone call with Rafi Harpaz, deputy director for the Asia-Pacific at the Israeli foreign ministry, Zhai said both sides should restart peace talks on the basis of the “two-state solution”.

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