BEIJING: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday held phone talks with his Egyptian and Jordanian counterparts on the situation in the Middle East.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a phone conversation with Badr Abdelatty, Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates, on Tuesday.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that under the strategic guidance of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Egypt has achieved significant development and is at its best period in history.
The two sides also exchanged views on the situation in the Middle East.
Wang said the assassination of Hamas Politburo Chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran has pushed the regional situation to a more dangerous height, and China resolutely opposes and strongly condemns such assassination acts that violate the basic principles of the UN Charter, infringe on Iran’s sovereignty and dignity, severely undermine efforts to promote peace and make a ceasefire in Gaza increasingly unattainable.
He also pointed out that China will strengthen its solidarity with Arab countries, and work with all parties to avoid further escalation and deterioration of the situation.
Abdelatty, for his part, said that Egypt highly appreciates China’s important role in promoting peace in the Middle East, and is grateful for China’s efforts in promoting internal reconciliation in Palestine.
The Egyptian side hopes to maintain close cooperation with China to prevent further escalation of the situation, he added.
Separately, Wang Yi spoke to Jordan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Safadi at his request, where they exchanged views on the situation in the Middle East.
Safadi said that the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh has further escalated tensions in the Middle East and the situation is very dangerous, adding that Jordan believes an escalation of the conflict will not benefit any side, but only result in multiple losses.
He noted that the international community should take immediate action to avoid the escalation of the conflict, stop violations of international law, achieve a ceasefire in Gaza as soon as possible, and ultimately achieve the independence of Palestine as a sovereign state through the two-state solution.
Noting that China has always maintained an objective and fair position on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict issue, Safadi said that Jordan is willing to maintain communication with China and expects that China will play a more important role in promoting a ceasefire and stopping the war.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that China firmly opposes and strongly condemns the assassination, which has violated the basic norms of international relations, infringed on Iran’s sovereignty, undermined the ceasefire negotiation process in Gaza, and led to further escalation of the regional situation.
He said the key to avoiding an escalation of the situation is to achieve a full and permanent ceasefire in Gaza as soon as possible, and the international community should form a more consistent voice on this issue and create a joint force.
Speaking highly of Jordan’s important role in resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and achieving peace in the Middle East, Wang said that China is willing to maintain communication and coordination with Jordan to promote relevant parties to proceed from the overall peace situation, refrain from taking actions that escalate the situation, and resume ceasefire negotiations as soon as possible.
China will continue to stand firm with Arab countries, support all efforts that are conducive to achieving a permanent and full ceasefire in Gaza, avoid further escalation of conflicts and confrontations, and promote the easing of the situation in the Middle East as soon as possible, Wang concluded.
