In Egypt, Wang Yi calls for Gaza ceasefire, Palestinian statehood
- In Cairo, China’s foreign minister and his Egyptian counterpart urged an immediate end ‘to all acts of violence, killing and targeting of civilians’
- China has historically been sympathetic to the Palestinian cause. Wang is on an Africa tour that will see him also visit Togo, Tunisia and Ivory Coast
In a press conference with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukri in Cairo, the top Chinese diplomat said “it is necessary to insist on the establishment of an independent, fully sovereign state of Palestine on the 1967 borders, with east Jerusalem as its capital.”
A joint statement from the two ministers urged an immediate end “to all acts of violence, killing and targeting of civilians and civilian establishments”.
Wang additionally discussed the conflict with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, according to Chinese state media Xinhua, with both sides agreeing a ceasefire “should be achieved as soon as possible to prevent the conflict from further spilling over.”
Early on Monday, Wang said China has decided to provide the third tranche of emergency humanitarian help to the people of Gaza, adding that the international community should listen carefully to the legitimate concerns of the countries in the region.
Israel launched an intense military campaign in response to Hamas’ deadly October 7 attack on southern Israel which resulted in about 1,140 deaths, mostly civilians, according to an Agence France-Presse tally based on official figures.
In Gaza, at least 23,968 people have been killed, most them women and children, according to the health ministry in the besieged Hamas-ruled territory.