Birds fly as smoke billows following an Israeli airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, on October 10, 2023. The conflict has taken a heavy toll on both sides.  Photo:Xinhua

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a phone conversation with foreign ministers of Palestine and Israel on Monday, respectively. Wang said that all countries have the right to self-defense, but they should respect the international humanitarian law and protect the safety of civilians.

What the people of Gaza need most is security, food and medicine, rather than war, weapons and ammunition, said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, in a phone talk with Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Al-Maliki, on Monday. What the Gaza Strip needs most is peace-making effort, not geopolitical calculation, Wang noted.

Wang, also member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that China has provided emergency humanitarian assistance through the Palestinian National Authority and UN agencies, and will continue to provide material assistance based on the needs of the Gaza people.

China deeply sympathizes with the plight of Palestine, especially the people in Gaza. China strongly condemns and opposes acts that harm civilians and violate the international law, calling for an immediate ceasefire to stop the war, ensuring basic living conditions of the people in Gaza, Wang said.

The UN Security Council should shoulder its responsibilities earnestly, and the international community must take urgent action. Countries outside the region, especially major countries, should be objective and fair, and play a constructive role in cooling down the crisis, Wang said.

Al-Maliki expressed heartfelt thanks to China for upholding justice, making a clear and strong statement, standing firmly with the Palestinian people, and providing emergency humanitarian assistance to Palestine. 

China's support highlighted the solid friendship between Palestine and China, said Al-Maliki, noting that Palestine calls for an immediate ceasefire, transporting the relief goods to the Gaza Strip as soon as possible, and treating the injured.

Al-Maliki expressed hope that with the help of the international community, the Palestinian issue can be solved from the root, and the establishment of an independent nation can be realized.

Also on Monday, Wang held a phone conversation with Israel's Foreign Minister Eli Cohen. On the current Palestinian-Israeli conflict, it is imperative to prevent the situation from escalating further and causing even more serious humanitarian hardship, said Wang.

Cohen detailed Israel's position and security concerns on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

The current Palestinian-Israeli conflict affects the whole world and involves a major choice between war and peace. China is deeply concerned about the continued escalation of the conflict and the worsening situation, and deeply saddened by the large number of civilian casualties caused by the conflict, said Wang. 

China condemns all acts that harm civilians and oppose any violation of the international law, noted Wang.

Wang stressed that the painful lesson of the repeated cycle of Palestinian-Israeli conflict fully demonstrates that only adhering to the concept of common security can help achieve sustainable security, and only adhering to the direction of political settlement can facilitate the thorough resolution of Israel's legitimate security concerns.

The two-state solution is the consensus of the international community, Wang said.

It is hoped that the two sides can consider the current situation as well as the long-term interests of peace and security shared by future generations, return to the right track of the two-state solution as soon as possible, resume peace talks and realize the peaceful coexistence of Palestine and Israel and the harmonious coexistence of the Arab and Jewish nations, he said.

China does not pursue any selfish interests on the Palestinian issue and sincerely hopes that the issue can be comprehensively and fairly resolved on the basis of the two-state solution, so that the legitimate security concerns of all parties can be truly and thoroughly addressed. Wang also said he hopes that the Israeli side would take effective measures to protect the safety of Chinese citizens and institutions in Israel.

Global Times - Xinhua