Hong Kong CNN –
The world must “act urgently” to contain the conflict in Gaza, China’s top diplomat said on Monday during a meeting with representatives of Arab and Muslim-majority nations, as Beijing steps up efforts to play a role in forging a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas Conflict.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi welcomed counterparts from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, the Palestinian Authority and Indonesia, as well as the head of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, for a two-day visit to the Chinese capital, the start of the delegation’s expected tour of several world capitals.
“The international community must act urgently and take effective measures to prevent this tragedy from spreading. “China stands firmly for justice and fairness in this conflict,” Wang told visiting leaders in his opening remarks before the talks, in which he reiterated China’s call for an immediate ceasefire.
The visiting ministers expressed their own strong calls for an end to the conflict, with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud saying: “The message is clear: the war must stop immediately, we must move to a ceasefire immediately and deliver aid .” and help must be given immediately.”
The countries represented in the delegation hoped to cooperate with China and “all countries” that are “responsible and recognize the seriousness of the situation,” he said.
Israel has launched weeks of bombings and ground operations in the Hamas-ruled Gaza enclave after the group launched a deadly attack on its territory on October 7. According to the Israel Defense Forces, more than 200 hostages were taken in this attack.
The meeting in Beijing comes as sources tell CNN that after weeks of negotiations between the United States, Israel and the militant group, a possible deal to release some hostages held by Hamas and a multi-day pause in fighting could be on the horizon. mediated by the Gulf state of Qatar.
Beijing is at odds with Washington – an Israeli ally and long a key power broker in the region – over its approach to the conflict, including an immediate ceasefire, which Washington does not support. Beijing also criticized Israel’s retaliation and failed to condemn Hamas or name the group in its statements, prompting backlash from Israeli officials.
“Israel should stop its collective punishment of the people of Gaza and open a humanitarian corridor as soon as possible to prevent the emergence of a large-scale humanitarian crisis,” Wang was quoted as saying by the delegation during the talks, according to a Chinese Foreign Ministry report.
Israel has strongly defended its actions following a “barbaric invasion” as an eradication of terrorism and rejected any ceasefire without the return of hostages.
China is trying to play an active role in resolving the conflict and expanding its position as a major world power.
Beijing sent a peace envoy on a cross-country tour of the region last month and emerged as a strong voice for an immediate ceasefire at the United Nations, including at the Security Council, where China now holds the rotating presidency.
Last week, the UN body passed its first resolution on the conflict, calling for the immediate release of all hostages held by Hamas and expanded humanitarian corridors across the enclave to protect civilians. The US and UK abstained, saying the resolution did not condemn Hamas.
“For all known reasons, in particular the repeated and persistent obstruction of a permanent member of the Council, this resolution can currently only serve as a first step based on a minimum consensus,” Chinese Ambassador Zhang Jun said after the vote, an apparent veiled swipe at the US .
In his comments in Beijing on Monday, the Saudi minister praised the Chinese-led Security Council decision.
The conflict has also given China an opportunity to strengthen its already closer ties with a number of countries in the Arab world – a region where observers say the country hopes to drive a wedge between the United States and the countries with whom the country has long-standing relationships.
“We have always firmly defended the legitimate rights and interests of Arab and Muslim countries and always firmly supported the efforts of the Palestinian people to restore their legitimate national rights and interests,” Wang told the visiting delegation.
An immediate ceasefire and longer-term peace were also said to be key themes during a roughly 10-day trip last month by China’s special envoy to the region, Zhai Jun, to the Middle East, which included Egypt, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Jordan visited the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
Last week, the envoy visited and met with officials in Turkey and Bahrain, where Zhai also discussed the “regional situation” with representatives from Singapore, the United States and Europe on the sidelines of an international conference.
So far, no concrete results of diplomacy can be seen.
According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Zhai’s previous itinerary also did not include stops in Israel, the Palestinian-controlled territories or Iran. Wang spoke by phone with Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen last month. It is not clear whether China has had contact with Hamas officials during the recent conflict.
Visiting officials in Beijing this week include Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki of the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority.
Earlier this month, China sent the head of its foreign ministry’s West Asian and North African Affairs Department to Iran, where the conflict was the subject of discussions, according to a post on the department’s WeChat social media account.
Iran is a long-time supporter of both Hamas and Lebanon-based Hezbollah.
During hours of talks between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden in California last week, Biden encouraged Xi to use China’s influence over Iran to warn of broader regional escalation, a senior US official told CNN.
At the talks, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said they had already held discussions with the Iranians on the issue, the senior official said.
Biden also made it clear to Xi that he viewed Hamas as separate from the Palestinians. The US views Hamas as a terrorist organization that perpetuates the suffering of the Palestinian people and upholds Israel’s right to retaliate against the group.
Beijing has not referred to Hamas in its statements, but rather portrays the current situation as a Palestinian-Israeli conflict.