China ‘pained’ by Gaza situation, President Xi Jinping tells Egyptian leader Sisi

Comments from Xi to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi come as the pair meet in Beijing ahead of 10th China-Arab cooperation forum

Chinese leader also hails Egypt’s mediating role in the conflict, vows greater cooperation on trade and investment, global affairs and new energy

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Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah el-Sisi review an honour guard at the Great Hall of the People, in Beijing on Wednesday. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 11:04pm, 29 May 2024Updated: 12:45am, 30 May 2024

China is deeply pained by the “extremely serious” humanitarian situation in Gaza, President Xi Jinping told his visiting Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, while reiterating Beijing’s call to prevent a spillover of the conflict.

The comments from Xi came amid growing fears of wider escalation after an Egyptian soldier was killed in a clash with Israeli troops near the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip.

Meeting Sisi in Beijing on Wednesday, Xi also vowed more cooperation with Egypt on fields ranging from trade and investment to international affairs, as Beijing eyes closer Middle Eastern and African ties in the shadow of growing China-US rivalry.

Their talks came a day ahead of the 10th Ministerial Conference of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum. Sisi and three other Arab heads of state will attend the opening ceremony on Thursday, with Xi to deliver the keynote address.

Describing the humanitarian situation in Gaza as “extremely serious”, Xi told Sisi that “an immediate ceasefire” was “imperative” as he called for prevention of a spillover of the conflict.

China would like to cooperate with Egypt in the regional mediation process, Xi added, reiterating Beijing’s long-held support for the “two-state solution” to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and full membership of a Palestinian state at the United Nations.

“China is ready to work with Egypt … to promote an early, comprehensive, just, and lasting solution to the Palestine issue,” Xi was quoted as saying by Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.