Beijing hosts delegation, urges immediate cease-fire in Gaza

China urged an immediate cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, expressed opposition to any forced displacement and relocation of Palestinian civilians and emphasized that any arrangement concerning the future and destiny of the Palestinian people must have their consent, Chinese top diplomat Wang Yi told visiting Arab and Islamic foreign ministers on Monday.

Apart from talks with Arab and Islamic countries, China is also keeping communication with other permanent members of the UN Security Council on the Palestinian-Israeli issue.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday that it is imperative to avoid further deterioration of the Palestinian-Israeli situation, especially the emergence of a more serious humanitarian crisis.

The two heads of state, in a telephone conversation on Monday, agreed that the two-state solution is the fundamental way to solve the cycle of Palestinian-Israeli conflicts.

At the invitation of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, President Xi Jinping will attend the BRICS extraordinary virtual summit on the Palestinian-Israeli issue and deliver important remarks in Beijing on the evening of November 21, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying announced on Monday night.

China will continue to work with Arab and Islamic countries to promote the full implementation of the relevant resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Chinese Vice President Han Zheng said on Monday while meeting the delegation of Arab and Islamic foreign ministers in Beijing.

China highly appreciates the peace efforts and the call for justice at the Joint Arab Islamic Extraordinary Summit and supports the joint ministerial follow-up committee to play a greater role, Han said.

A delegation consisting of Arab and Islamic foreign ministers is visiting China from Monday to Tuesday, including Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Al-Maliki and Secretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Hissein Brahim Taha.

During the visit, China will have in-depth communication and coordination with the delegation on ways to deescalate the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli conflict, protect civilians and seek a just settlement of the Palestinian question, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

The delegation, which is set to meet officials representing each of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, is also piling pressure on the West to reject Israel's justification of its actions against Palestinians as self-defense, and Beijing is the first leg of their tour, Reuters reported on Monday.

The UN Security Council must listen to the voices of Arab and Islamic countries and take responsible actions to cool down the situation, Wang said. As the rotating presidency of the Security Council, China will continue to strengthen coordination with Arab and Islamic countries, build consensus and push the Security Council to take further meaningful actions on the situation in Gaza, Wang said.

Taking China as the first stop of its international mediation efforts shows a high degree of trust in China and reflects the fine tradition of mutual understanding and mutual support between the two sides. China is a good friend and a good brother of Arab and Islamic countries, Wang told Arab and Islamic diplomats.

China has always firmly upheld the legitimate rights and interests of Arab and Islamic countries and firmly supported the just cause of the Palestinian people in restoring their legitimate national rights and interests, the Chinese diplomat said.

In regard to this conflict, China has firmly stood on the side of justice and fairness, has been working hard to de-escalate the conflict, protect civilians, expand humanitarian aid, and prevent humanitarian disasters, and has been calling for a return to the two-state solution and the early settlement of the Palestinian question, Wang said.

The visit also came after the UN Security Council adopted its first resolution on Wednesday since the Israeli-Palestinian conflict broke out under China's active rotating presidency role. The council had failed to adopt four draft resolutions on the situation in a row.

China's position on the Palestinian question aligns with that of the Arab and Islamic world and its proposition on the issue is also in line with the status of the issue itself, helping China gain the trust of the Arab and Islamic countries, some experts said. Under China's mediation, Saudi Arabia and Iran have agreed to restore diplomatic relations in March, highlighting the constructive role that China has been playing in the Middle East.