NEW YORK: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi chaired a United Nations Security Council high-level meeting on the Palestinian-Israeli issue in New York on Wednesday.
Prior to the UNSC meeting, Wang Yi reiterated the country’s stance on the Palestine-Israel conflict with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday, before chairing a UN Security Council high-level meeting on the issue.
Wang stressed that China stands firmly on the side of peace, and called for a complete cease-fire, as well as the implementation of a two-state solution as soon as possible.
Chinese observers said Wang’s propositions, as well as China’s chairing of the high-level meeting, come at a key juncture as Palestine and Israel are in temporary truce. These moves highlight the most pressing issues and lay the foundation for the future solution of the Palestine issue. Experts hailed Wang’s attendance at the meeting, as it shows that China has great sincerity to seek solution for the crisis.
However, even if Israel and Hamas agree to extend the truce for two more days, experts believe that the possibility of it becoming a long-term cease-fire is slim. As the crisis drags on, the US is sending signals to international community that there are divergences between US itself and Israel, in the hope that it will save itself from the current diplomatic pothole trying to continue pull over Arabic countries, so to contend against China’s influence, said experts.
On the Palestine-Israel conflict, China stands firmly on the side of peace, human conscience and international law, Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said in a meeting with Guterres in New York.
China supports the UN and the secretary-general in playing their unique and irreplaceable role in resolving the Palestine-Israel conflict, Wang said, noting that China’s position is clear.
First, there should be no reignition of the war, he said. A complete cease-fire should be achieved to avoid greater humanitarian disasters, and the hostages should be released.
Second, unhindered access of humanitarian supplies to Gaza needs to be ensured, Wang said. And third, the two-state solution should be restarted at an early date.
Wang made the remarks before chairing a UN Security Council high-level meeting on the Palestinian-Israeli issue, which is scheduled for Wednesday.
Wang also told Malaysian Foreign Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir on Tuesday that the UN’s high-level meeting is held at a crucial juncture as it coincides with the last day of the temporary cease-fire agreement. We must not allow the resumption of hostilities and the infliction of further harm on innocent civilians. The conference should release a clear message regarding this matter.
