Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi backs efforts to give Palestinians their ‘legitimate national rights’ in call with Egyptian counterpart

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi pledged to support efforts to restore the Palestinian people’s “legitimate rights” and support Arab countries in forming “a common position and a united voice” amid the current conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Wang told his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukri in a phone call on Monday that the United Nations Security Council “should play its due role in bringing about a ceasefire and an end to the fighting as soon as possible”, according to a statement by the Chinese foreign ministry.

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The phone call was part of China’s recent mediation efforts. Zhai Jun, China’s envoy to the Middle East, will travel to “relevant countries” this week, according to the Chinese foreign ministry, and met Israel’s ambassador to China, Irit Ben-Abba, on Tuesday to “exchange views on the situation”.

“China opposes and condemns all acts that harm civilians and violate international humanitarian law, and will continue to stand on the side of international morality and support the Palestinian people in restoring their legitimate national rights,” Wang said.

He also told Shoukri that “China supports the Arab and Islamic countries in forming a common position and speaking with a united voice”.

China has long advocated a two-state solution to the conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians. During the call, Shoukri said that Egypt appreciated China’s support for the independence of Palestine and the rights of its people.

He also promised that Cairo will stay in “close communication” with Beijing and work to de-escalate the situation in Gaza and “prevent the crisis spilling over”.

Egypt is the fourth Middle East country – after Saudi Arabia, Iran and Turkey – that Wang has contacted since Hamas’s deadly attack on Israel earlier this month.

Shoukri also told Wang that Egypt will continue to “actively participate in the Belt and Road Initiative, Beijing’s transcontinental infrastructure project

Yan Wei, deputy director of the Institute of Middle Eastern Studies at China’s Northwest University, said relations between Egypt and China had been “positive and close” for a long time.

“Since Gaza borders Egypt, the current plight of Gaza will put a lot of pressure on Egypt, especially the possible refugee issues,” Yan said.

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“So Egypt has an irreplaceable role in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and therefore Sisi needs to focus on the Israel-Gaza conflict.”

On Monday Sisi met US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Cairo and told him that Israel’s actions against Hamas in Gaza “overextended the right of self-defence” and were “punishing 2.3 million Palestinians”.

China’s Middle East envoy Zhai Jun spoke to Egypt shortly after Hamas’s attack on Israel and expressed Beijing’s willingness to work with Cairo on brokering an immediate ceasefire, but so far Israel has declined Egypt’s offer of mediation.

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Wu Sike, one of Zhai’s predecessors in the role, previously told the Post: “China has a very good history of cooperation with Egypt. Egypt has its unique position and role [as mediator] … so if it does not work today, it will do it again tomorrow, and in the end, it will always be done.”

South China Morning Post