Middle East Archives - Page 6 of 8 - Friends of Socialist China

China’s position paper calls for comprehensive ceasefire in Gaza

On Thursday 30 November, China released a position paper on resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The paper reiterates China’s longstanding position of support for the national rights of the Palestinian people, and sets out realistic proposals for a peaceful and durable solution to the crisis in Gaza and its underlying factors.

In sharp contrast to the statements made by the Western powers, which have largely given a carte blanche to Israel in its brutal assault on Gaza, China’s position paper calls for a comprehensive and immediate ceasefire, and for an end to the forced transfer of Palestinians – which by any reasonable definition must be considered as ethnic cleansing.

The position paper states that there will be no lasting peace without the “restoration of the legitimate national rights of Palestine, and the establishment of an independent State of Palestine that enjoys full sovereignty based on the 1967 borders and with east Jerusalem as its capital.”

It is worth noting that China is a longstanding friend of the Palestinian people and supporter of Palestinian national rights. In a letter to Ahmad al-Shukeiri, president of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), dated 6 June 1967, Premier Zhou Enlai wrote: “The Chinese people will forever remain comrades-in-arms of the Palestinian people and the people of the Arab countries in the struggle against imperialism.”

This was four years before the People’s Republic of China’s rightful seat at the United Nations was restored. Since taking up its position in the UN General Assembly and Security Council, China has been a loud and consistent voice on the international stage in favour of justice for the Palestinian people.

China sent its first aid to the Palestinian people in 1960, and when the PLO was founded in 1964, China became the first non-Arab country to recognise it. It was also one of the first countries to recognise the State of Palestine – on 20 November 1988. Indeed Yasser Arafat – historic leader of the Palestinian resistance and Chairman of the PLO from 1969 to 2004 – stated in 1970 that “China is the biggest influence in supporting our revolution and strengthening its perseverance.”

In May 2013, just two months after his election as president, Xi Jinping put forward a four-point proposal for the settlement of the Palestinian question, highlighting his personal commitment to the cause. This proposal was pragmatic and realistic, and centred around the demand for an independent, viable Palestinian state enjoying full sovereignty on the basis of the 1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as its capital. Xi reiterated this demand in a new three-point proposal for settlement of the Palestinian question, put forward during discussions with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Beijing in June this year.

In response to the current crisis raging in Gaza, Xi has commented that “the right of the Palestinian people to statehood, their right to existence, and their right of return have long been ignored.” China’s often-repeated demand – for a Palestinian state based on 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital and with the right of return for Palestinian refugees – reflects the legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people, and is consistent with the position of the PLO and the Arab League, and furthermore with UN General Assembly Resolution 3236, adopted in 1974, which affirms the Palestinians’ right to national independence and sovereignty.

With Israel committing war crimes on a vast scale in Gaza – targeting hospitals, schools, residential buildings, refugee camps and mosques, and killing civilians in their thousands – China has persistently called for a ceasefire, a position supported by the vast majority of the world’s countries, although unfortunately not the US and Britain.

Addressing an extraordinary joint meeting of the leaders of the BRICS countries last week, President Xi called for the convening of an international peace conference to build international consensus and to create a path towards Palestinian statehood. He stated: “The only viable way to break the cycle of Palestinian-Israeli conflict lies in the two-state solution, in the restoration of the legitimate national rights of Palestine, and in the establishment of an independent State of Palestine.”

With its facilitation of a rapprochement between Iran and Saudi Arabia earlier this year, China has shown that it has a valuable role to play in helping to resolve conflicts in the Middle East region. This is why, earlier this month, a delegation of foreign ministers from Arab and Islamic countries seeking to find a solution to the Gaza crisis chose China as the first destination of their ministerial tour.

It is increasingly clear to the peoples of the world that while the imperialist powers cling on to their old habits of war, aggression, unilateralism and coercion, China is working determinedly and resolutely for peace, development, multipolarity and common prosperity.

The full text of the position paper is republished below, along with a report from the Chinese Foreign Ministry of President Xi Jinping’s message of congratulations to the 30 November UN meeting marking the International Day of Solidarity with Palestinian People.

Position Paper of the People’s Republic of China on Resolving the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict

The current Palestinian-Israeli conflict has caused heavy civilian casualties and a serious humanitarian disaster. It is a grave concern of the international community. President Xi Jinping stated China’s principled position on the current Palestinian-Israeli situation on a number of occasions. He stressed the need for an immediate ceasefire and ending the fighting, ensuring that the humanitarian corridors are safe and unimpeded, and preventing the expansion of the conflict. He pointed out that the fundamental way out of this lies in the two-state solution, building international consensus for peace, and working toward a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Palestinian question at an early date.

Pursuant to the Charter of the United Nations, the Security Council shoulders primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, and should thus play an active and constructive role on the question of Palestine. In this connection, China offers the following proposals:

Xi Jinping: the collective punishment of people in Gaza must stop

On November 21, Chinese President Xi Jinping addressed an extraordinary joint meeting of the leaders of the BRICS countries, along with the leaders of those countries who have been invited to join the cooperation mechanism from January 1, 2024, called to discuss the situation in the Middle East with particular reference to Gaza. The meeting was held virtually and was initiated by the current chair of BRICS, President Cyril Ramaphosa of the Republic of South Africa.

In his address to the meeting, President Xi said that China is gravely concerned that the current conflict is causing enormous civilian casualties and a humanitarian disaster. He stressed that the collective punishment of people in Gaza in the form of forced transfer or water, electricity and fuel deprivation must stop and continued:

“The root cause of the Palestinian-Israeli situation is the fact that the right of the Palestinian people to statehood, their right to existence, and their right of return have long been ignored. I have emphasised on many occasions that the only viable way to break the cycle of Palestinian-Israeli conflict lies in the two-state solution, in the restoration of the legitimate national rights of Palestine, and in the establishment of an independent State of Palestine. There can be no sustainable peace and security in the Middle East without a just solution to the question of Palestine. China calls for early convening of an international peace conference that is more authoritative to build international consensus for peace and work toward an early solution to the question of Palestine that is comprehensive, just and sustainable.”

He also outlined the humanitarian assistance that China has so far provided to the Palestinian people in the current situation, adding that, “China will provide more supplies and assistance according to the needs of the people in Gaza.”

We reprint the full text of President Xi’s remarks below. They were originally published by the Xinhua News Agency.

Working Toward a Ceasefire and Realizing Lasting Peace and Sustainable Security

Remarks by H.E. Xi Jinping
President of the People’s Republic of China
At the Extraordinary Joint Meeting of BRICS Leaders
And Leaders of Invited BRICS Members
On the Situation in the Middle East with Particular Reference to Gaza

November 21, 2023

Your Excellency President Cyril Ramaphosa,

Colleagues,

This is our first summit since the expansion of BRICS. Before I speak about the issue of our discussion, I wish to extend a warm welcome to leaders of new BRICS members and express my thanks to President Ramaphosa and the South African government for your efforts that have made our meeting possible. Given the current circumstances, it is very timely and very important that we meet and speak up for justice and for peace on the Palestinian-Israeli issue.

The conflict in Gaza is raging on into its second month. China is gravely concerned that the conflict is causing enormous civilian casualties and a humanitarian disaster, and tends to expand and spill over. China believes that the following is urgent and imperative: First, the parties to the conflict must end hostilities and achieve a ceasefire immediately, stop all violence and attacks against civilians, release civilians held captive, and act to prevent loss of more lives and spare people from more miseries. Second, humanitarian corridors must be kept secure and unimpeded, and more humanitarian assistance should be provided to the population in Gaza. The collective punishment of people in Gaza in the form of forced transfer or water, electricity and fuel deprivation must stop. Third, the international community must act with practical measures to prevent the conflict from spilling over and endangering stability in the Middle East as a whole. China supports the resolution adopted at the emergency special session of the U.N. General Assembly on October 27. The U.N. Security Council under China’s presidency has adopted Resolution 2712. All the parties must act to deliver on these resolutions through concrete measures on the ground.

The root cause of the Palestinian-Israeli situation is the fact that the right of the Palestinian people to statehood, their right to existence, and their right of return have long been ignored. I have emphasized on many occasions that the only viable way to break the cycle of Palestinian-Israeli conflict lies in the two-state solution, in the restoration of the legitimate national rights of Palestine, and in the establishment of an independent State of Palestine. There can be no sustainable peace and security in the Middle East without a just solution to the question of Palestine. China calls for early convening of an international peace conference that is more authoritative to build international consensus for peace and work toward an early solution to the question of Palestine that is comprehensive, just and sustainable.

Since the outbreak of the latest Palestinian-Israeli conflict, China has been working actively to promote peace talks and a ceasefire. China has provided humanitarian assistance to help ease the humanitarian plight in Gaza. This includes USD 2 million of emergency humanitarian assistance provided through the Palestinian National Authority and U.N. agencies, and emergency humanitarian supplies worth RMB 15 million, such as food and medicine, to the Gaza Strip with the help of Egypt. China will provide more supplies and assistance according to the needs of the people in Gaza. At the U.N. Security Council, China has acted in its capacity as president to facilitate the adoption of the resolution, which calls for extended humanitarian pauses and corridors, the protection of civilians, and the provision of humanitarian assistance.

Colleagues,

The BRICS cooperation mechanism is an important platform for emerging markets and developing countries to strengthen solidarity and cooperation and safeguard common interests. Our meeting today to coordinate positions and actions on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict marks a good start for greater BRICS cooperation following its enlargement. China commends South Africa for its significant contribution as BRICS chair to advancing BRICS development. As Russia will take over BRICS chairmanship next year, China stands ready to work with other members to jointly support Russia’s work as the chair and usher in a new era for BRICS cooperation.

Thank you.

China calls for Gaza ceasefire and an end to collective punishment

A delegation of Arab-Islamic Foreign Ministers began a two-day visit to China on November 20. Comprised of the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Indonesia, and Palestine, along with the Secretary-General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the delegation chose to visit China first on a peace mission where they plan to visit all five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.

Meeting the delegation, China’s top diplomat, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the fact that the delegation chose China as the first leg of their tour for international mediation shows deep trust in China and embodies the fine tradition of mutual understanding and support between the two sides. China is a good friend and brother of Arab and Islamic countries. China has always firmly upheld the legitimate rights and interests of Arab and Islamic countries and firmly supported the just cause of the Palestinian people to restore their legitimate national rights and interests. In regard to this conflict, China has firmly stood on the side of justice and fairness, has been working hard to de-escalate the conflict, protect civilians, expand humanitarian aid, and prevent humanitarian disasters. He further noted that today marks the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Palestine.

Briefing Wang on the Joint Arab-Islamic Extraordinary Summit, which was held in the Saudi city of Riyadh, November 11-12, the visiting ministers, noting the large number of civilian casualties and continued humanitarian disasters in Gaza, said that the international community should take responsible actions as soon as possible to promote an immediate ceasefire and cessation of hostilities, ensure unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid and supplies to Gaza, protect innocent Palestinian civilians and prevent the forced relocation of civilians in Gaza.

Arab and Islamic countries spoke highly of China’s long-standing just position on the Palestinian question and appreciated China’s efforts as the rotating presidency of the United Nations (UN) Security Council to facilitate the adoption of the first Security Council resolution since the outbreak of the current Palestine-Israel conflict. They look forward to closer coordination with China to prevent the crisis from spreading, restart the peace talks process, promote the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the basis of the two-state solution, avoid a vicious cycle of violence for violence, and achieve enduring peace and stability in the Middle East. Arab and Islamic countries expect China to play a greater role in ending the Palestine-Israel conflict, resolving the Palestine-Israel issue, and achieving fairness and justice.

Wang Yi said that a pressing task now is to achieve an immediate ceasefire and cessation of hostilities. A ceasefire should not be a diplomatic rhetoric. It is a matter of life and death for the people in Gaza. A ceasefire should be achieved as a top priority. This is the pressing need of the people in Gaza, the wish of the overwhelming majority of countries, and the unanimous voice of all peace-loving people around the world.

China opposes any forced displacement and relocation of Palestinian civilians. Israel should stop its collective punishment of the people in Gaza and open humanitarian corridors as soon as possible to prevent a wider humanitarian disaster. He further stressed that any arrangement concerning the future and destiny of Palestine must be based on the consent of the Palestinian people.

The Chinese Foreign Minister added that the fundamental reason for the cycle of conflict between Palestine and Israel is that the Palestinian people’s right to statehood and survival and their right of return to their homes have been ignored for a long time. The way out is to implement the two-state solution and establish an independent Palestinian state. The Palestinian question is at the heart of the Middle East issue. Without a just settlement of the Palestinian question, there will be no enduring peace and stability in the Middle East. China will continue to stand firmly on the side of Arab and Islamic countries and on the side of international fairness and justice.

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng also met with the delegation on November 20.

The below article was originally published on the website of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

On November 20, 2023, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with the delegation of Arab-Islamic foreign ministers consisting of Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Al-Maliki and Secretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Hissein Brahim Taha in Beijing.

Wang Yi said the fact that the delegation chose China as the first leg of their tour for international mediation shows deep trust in China and embodies the fine tradition of mutual understanding and support between the two sides. China is a good friend and brother of Arab and Islamic countries. China has always firmly upheld the legitimate rights and interests of Arab and Islamic countries and firmly supported the just cause of the Palestinian people to restore their legitimate national rights and interests. In regard to this conflict, China has firmly stood on the side of justice and fairness, has been working hard to de-escalate the conflict, protect civilians, expand humanitarian aid, and prevent humanitarian disasters, and has been calling for a return to the two-state solution and the early settlement of the Palestinian question. Today marks the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Palestine. China appreciates Arab and Islamic countries for their active mediation efforts for peace, and stands ready to work with them to make unremitting efforts for an early ceasefire in Gaza, the easing of the humanitarian crisis, the release of the detainees and an early, comprehensive, just and enduring settlement of the Palestinian question.

How the war on Gaza has stalled the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor

In this article, originally published on People’s Dispatch and produced by Globetrotter, Vijay Prashad explains how the Gaza conflict has likely dealt a fatal blow to the proposed India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), that was proposed by seven countries along with the European Union (EU) at the G20 Summit held in the Indian capital New Delhi in September.

Prashad explains that: “The United States, which was one of the initiators of the IMEC, pushed it as a means to both isolate China and Iran as well as to hasten the normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia. It seemed like a perfect instrument for Washington: sequester China and Iran, bring Israel and Saudi Arabia together, and deepen ties with India that seemed to have been weakened by India’s reluctance to join the United States in its policy regarding Russia.” However: “Israel’s war on the Palestinians in Gaza has changed the entire equation and stalled the IMEC.”

He further outlines that, even two years before China first unveiled its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), in 2011, then US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had proposed a “new silk road” that would start from India and transit Central Asia. This in turn was part of a wider ‘pivot to Asia’, proposed by President Barack Obama and designed to check the rise of China.

According to Prashad, even before the Israeli onslaught on Gaza, IMEC was already facing serious challenges:

“The attempt to isolate China appeared illusory, given that the main Greek port in the corridor—at Piraeus—is managed by the China Ocean Shipping Corporation, and that the Dubai Ports have considerable investment from China’s Ningbo-Zhoushan port and the Zhejiang Seaport. Saudi Arabia and the UAE are now members of the BRICS+, and both countries are participants [with the status of Dialogue Partners] in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.”

Prashad concludes that IMEC will not progress “from paper to port”, “due to Israel’s bombing of Gaza but also due to Washington’s fantasy that it can ‘defeat’ China in an economic war.”

On September 9, 2023, during the G20 meeting in New Delhi, the governments of seven countries and the European Union signed a memorandum of understanding to create an India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor. Only three of the countries (India, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates or the UAE) would be directly part of this corridor, which was to begin in India, go through the Gulf, and terminate in Greece. The European countries (France, Germany, and Italy) as well as the European Union joined this endeavor because they expected the IMEC to be a trade route for their goods to go to India and for them to access Indian goods at, what they hoped would be, a reduced cost.

The United States, which was one of the initiators of the IMEC, pushed it as a means to both isolate China and Iran as well as to hasten the normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia. It seemed like a perfect instrument for Washington: sequester China and Iran, bring Israel and Saudi Arabia together, and deepen ties with India that seemed to have been weakened by India’s reluctance to join the United States in its policy regarding Russia.

Israel’s war on the Palestinians in Gaza has changed the entire equation and stalled the IMEC. It is now inconceivable for Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to enter such a project with the Israelis. Public opinion in the Arab world is red-hot, with inflamed anger at the indiscriminate bombardment by Israel and the catastrophic loss of civilian life. Regional countries with close relations with Israel—such as Jordan and Turkey—have had to harden their rhetoric against Israel. In the short term, at least, it is impossible to imagine the implementation of the IMEC.

Pivot to Asia

Two years before China inaugurated its “One Belt, One Road” or Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the United States had already planned a private-sector-funded trade route to link India to Europe and to tighten the links between Washington and New Delhi. In 2011, then US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave a speech in Chennai, India, where she spoke of the creation of a New Silk Road that would run from India through Pakistan and into Central Asia. This new “international web and network of economic and transit connections” would be an instrument for the United States to create a new intergovernmental forum and a “free trade zone” in which the United States would be a member (in much the same way as the United States is part of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation or APEC).

The New Silk Road was part of a wider “pivot to Asia,” as US President Barack Obama put it. This “pivot” was designed to check the rise of China and to prevent its influence in Asia. Clinton’s article in Foreign Policy (“America’s Pacific Century,” October 11, 2011) suggested that this New Silk Road was not antagonistic to China. However, this rhetoric of the “pivot” came alongside the U.S. military’s new AirSea Battle concept that was designed around direct conflict between the United States and China (the concept built on a 1999 Pentagon study called “Asia 2025” which noted that “the threats are in Asia”).

Two years later, the Chinese government said that it would build a massive infrastructure and trade project called “One Belt, One Road,” which would later be called the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Over the next ten years, from 2013 to 2023, the BRI investments totaled $1.04 trillion spread out over 148 countries (three-quarters of the countries in the world). In this short period, the BRI project has made a considerable mark on the world, particularly on the poorer nations of Africa, Asia, and Latin America, where the BRI has made investments to build infrastructure and industry.

Chastened by the growth of the BRI, the United States attempted to block it through various instruments: the América Crece for Latin America and the Millennium Challenge Corporation for South Asia. The weakness in these attempts was that both relied upon funding from an unenthusiastic private sector.

Complications of the IMEC

Even before the Israeli bombardment of Gaza, IMEC faced several serious challenges.

First, the attempt to isolate China appeared illusory, given that the main Greek port in the corridor—at Piraeus—is managed by the China Ocean Shipping Corporation, and that the Dubai Ports have considerable investment from China’s Ningbo-Zhoushan port and the Zhejiang Seaport. Saudi Arabia and the UAE are now members of the BRICS+, and both countries are participants in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

Second, the entire IMEC process is reliant upon private-sector funding. The Adani Group—which has close ties to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and has come under the spotlight for fraudulent practices—already owns the Mundra port (Gujarat, India) and the Haifa port (Israel), and seeks to take a share in the port at Piraeus. In other words, the IMEC corridor is providing geopolitical cover for Adani’s investments from Greece to Gujarat.

Third, the sea lane between Haifa and Piraeus would go through waters contested between Turkey and Greece. This “Aegean Dispute” has provoked the Turkish government to threaten war if Greece goes through with its designs.

Fourth, the entire project relied upon the “normalization” between Saudi Arabia and Israel, an extension of the Abraham Accords that drew Bahrain, Morocco, and the United Arab Emirates to recognize Israel in August 2020. In July 2022, India, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States formed the I2U2 Group, with the intention, among other things, to “modernize infrastructure” and to “advance low-carbon development pathways” through “private enterprise partnerships.” This was the precursor of IMEC. Neither “normalization” with Saudi Arabia nor advancement of the I2U2 process between the UAE and Israel seem possible in this climate. Israel’s bombardment of the Palestinians in Gaza has frozen this process.

Previous Indian trade route projects, such as the International North-South Trade Corridor (with India, Iran, and Russia) and the Asia-Africa Growth Corridor (led by India and Japan), have not gone from paper to port for a host of reasons. These, at least, had the merit of being viable. IMEC will suffer the same fate as these corridors, to some extent due to Israel’s bombing of Gaza but also due to Washington’s fantasy that it can “defeat” China in an economic war

China’s impassioned plea for a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict

China, which this month holds the rotating chair of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), has made a further impassioned plea for a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict.

Addressing an emergency UNSC meeting on November 10, China’s permanent representative to the UN, Zhang Jun said that the call for a ceasefire was by no means a diplomatic statement, “It is the only hope for the people of Gaza to survive.”

Referring to the United States, in particular, which has repeatedly vetoed calls for a ceasefire, he added that China calls on “all parties, especially the major power that has a unique influence on the parties, to put aside all geopolitical considerations and double standards and focus all efforts on the goal of a ceasefire and an end to the fighting. We urge Israel to curb the intensifying settler violence in the West Bank so as to avoid… the spread of conflict.”

Zhang Jun added that: “When tens of thousands of people, including more than 4,000 children, have lost their lives; when more than 1.6 million people have been forced to flee their homes; when 2.3 million people continue to be cut off from water, electricity, fuel, food and medicine; and when hospitals, schools, refugee camps, and UN facilities have been frequently targeted, this is not only a humanitarian crisis, but, as described by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, a crisis of humanity.”

He went in to say that earlier in the day he had met with representatives of Palestine and other Arab countries as well as from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

“From our conversation, I was deeply struck by the pain they have deep in their hearts, by their hope for the resumption of peace, and by their expectation for the Council to take effective actions.”

“In the face of all this, the world must speak out together: Enough is enough,” Zhang said, adding that “the Security Council must do away with the obstruction and interference of some members and take immediate, responsible, and meaningful action to uphold justice and maintain peace.”

Zhang also expressed grave concern over and strong opposition to the clear violations of international humanitarian law in Gaza.

“We urge an end to the collective punishment of civilians… We call on Israel to immediately lift the siege and completely remove restrictions on livelihood supplies, especially fuel delivery to humanitarian and medical institutions and livelihood facilities.”

Noting that over the past two weeks, just over 500 trucks had entered Gaza, Zhang described this as “but a drop in the bucket for the people of Gaza who are struggling on the brink of death.”

Turning to the post-conflict scenario, with Israel threatening to reoccupy Gaza, Zhang said: “These days, we also hear frequent discussions about the day after for Gaza. Regarding this, it must be pointed out that no arrangement for Gaza can be imposed on the Palestinian people… The future of Palestine must be and can only be decided by the Palestinian people themselves.”

The following article was originally published by the Xinhua News Agency.

UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) — Chinese permanent representative to the United Nations, Zhang Jun, on Friday called for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Palestine.

“A ceasefire and an end to the fighting cannot be delayed. A ceasefire is by no means a diplomatic statement. It is the only hope for the people of Gaza to survive,” Zhang told the UN Security Council emergency meeting on the Palestinian-Israeli situation.

Noting that the current round of conflict has been going on for 35 days and the situation continues to deteriorate, he said: “We call on all parties, especially the major power that has a unique influence on the parties, to put aside all geopolitical considerations and double standards and focus all efforts on the goal of a ceasefire and an end to the fight. We urge Israel to curb the intensifying settler violence in the West Bank so as to avoid the concurring hotspot and the spread of conflict.”

“When tens of thousands of people, including more than 4,000 children, have lost their lives; when more than 1.6 million people have been forced to flee their homes; when 2.3 million people continue to be cut off from water, electricity, fuel, food and medicine; and when hospitals, schools, refugee camps, and UN facilities have been frequently targeted, this is not only a humanitarian crisis, but, as described by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, a crisis of humanity,” he added.

Zhang said he met with representatives of Palestine and other Arab countries and those from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation earlier in the day.

“From our conversation, I was deeply struck by the pain they have deep in their hearts, by their hope for the resumption of peace, and by their expectation for the Council to take effective actions,” he said.

Stressing the importance of protecting civilians, the envoy said, “We condemn all violence and attacks against civilians. We express our grave concern over and strong opposition to the clear violations of international humanitarian law in Gaza.”

“We urge an end to the collective punishment of civilians. We demand the safety and humanitarian needs of hostages be guaranteed and call for diplomatic efforts to facilitate their early release,” he added.

More than 1,300 children and their families are trapped in the rubble with their lives at stake, Zhang said, adding, “We support the Council to take emergency actions in this regard to facilitate a sustained truce of multiple days and an immediate opening of a green corridor for specialized agencies and equipment to enter Gaza to carry out search and rescue operations, so as to do our utmost to save children.”

The Council should also respond to the joint appeal made by the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, and Marwan Jilani, Director General of the Palestine Red Crescent Society, to establish a medical evacuation mechanism so that pregnant women and the seriously injured and sick in Gaza can be transferred and treated promptly, he continued.

Zhang also called for the delivery of supplies to resume, noting it “cannot be delayed.”

“We call on Israel to immediately lift the siege and completely remove restrictions on livelihood supplies, especially fuel delivery to humanitarian and medical institutions and livelihood facilities,” he said.

Over the past two weeks, just over 500 trucks have entered Gaza through the Rafah crossing, a drop in the bucket for the people of Gaza who are struggling on the brink of death, Zhang said. “All crossings into Gaza should be utilized, and the Kerem Shalom crossing should be opened as soon as possible.”

“These days, we also hear frequent discussions about the day after for Gaza. Regarding this, it must be pointed out that no arrangement for Gaza can be imposed on the Palestinian people,” said the ambassador, adding that “No solution to the current situation can deviate from the two-state solution. The future of Palestine must be and can only be decided by the Palestinian people themselves.”

The ambassador pledged that China, as president of the Security Council for November, would continue to work with the international community to bring an early end to the fighting and alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

China supports a peaceful coexistence between the Palestinians and the Israelis and long-term peace and security in the Middle East, he said.

Rejecting call for ceasefire means killing more civilians

The following article from China Daily, written by EU bureau chief Chen Weihua, expresses outrage at those countries refusing to call for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Noting the horrific number of deaths from Israel’s bombing campaign, including thousands of children, the author writes: “Leaders who have refused to call for immediate cease-fire in the Gaza Strip have become an accomplice to war crimes.”

The US in particular “has been an enabler of the humanitarian crisis”, vetoing UN Security Council resolutions calling for a ceasefire, and voting against Jordan’s motion at the UN General Assembly – which 120 countries voted in favour of, with only 12 countries voting against.

Chen Weihua notes British PM Rishi Sunak’s continuing opposition to a ceasefire, and points out that Sunak is clearly out of step with the British public – “as demonstrated by the half a million people pouring into the streets in London in support of Palestine and calling for a ceasefire.”

The author draws the obvious conclusion:

History will prove that those who refused to call for immediate ceasefire have blood on their hands.

Leaders who have refused to call for immediate cease-fire in the Gaza Strip have become an accomplice to war crimes as a total of 8,805 people, including 3,650 children and 2,252 women, have been killed in Israel’s bombardments over the past three weeks. The numbers are rising rapidly.

The situation has become so dire that UNICEF, the United Nations agency for children, said on Tuesday that “Gaza has become a graveyard for thousands of children. It’s a living hell for everyone else”.Almost half of Gaza’s 2.3 million population are children.

Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees, told the UN Security Council on Monday that the entire population of Gaza is becoming “dehumanized”. He decried Israel’s “collective punishment” and said that a cease-fire has become a matter of life and death for the 2.3 million people.

The reckless, brutal bombing in densely populated areas has been truly appalling. On Tuesday, Israel claimed that it eliminated a Hamas official during its air strike in Jabalia refugee camp. No one knows whether the Hamas official was actually killed, but for sure dozens of innocent people, including children, were reportedly killed in the raid.

World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Tuesday denounced Israel’s bombing around the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital, the main cancer facility in Gaza where services are no longer functional after Israel severed electricity supply (along water, food and medicine supplies) to Gaza, and restricted the entry of medicine and other supplies. In some hospitals in Gaza, doctors had to operate patients in the hallways, without anesthesia.

Despite the tragedy playing out in Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed global calls for a ceasefire or temporarily halt the fighting to enable emergency aid deliveries of food, medicine, drinking water and fuel. This is despite the warning by International Criminal Court’s Prosecutor Karim Khan that blocking humanitarian aid could be a war crime.

The US administration has been an enabler of the humanitarian crisis. The Huff-Post reported on Oct 13 that US State Department officials instructed staff to make sure press materials do not include three specific phrases: “de-escalation/cease-fire”, “end to violence/bloodshed “and “restoring calm”.

The US is one of the 14 countries which last Friday voted against Jordan’s motion at the UN General Assembly, calling for a sustained humanitarian truce leading to a cessation of hostilities. An overwhelming 120 countries, including China, voted for the motion in a powerful message by the international community.

Washington has fully endorsed Israel’s military operations in Gaza. On Tuesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was speaking at a Senate hearing for $14.3 billion in military assistance to Israel when he was disrupted by angry protesters, not once but multiple times with their palms painted “bloody” red and repeatedly yelling “cease-fire now” and “you have blood on your hands”.

The US insists that a “cease-fire will only benefit Hamas”. But for the rest of the world, a cease-fire will help save countless, innocent lives in Gaza.

The White House’s indifference to the suffering of Palestinian people is shocking. US President Joe Biden challenged the accuracy of the death toll in Gaza instead of condemning the slaughtering of civilians, prompting the Palestinian health ministry in Gaza to publish the full list of names with ID numbers of the more than 6,000 people killed.

Calling for a cease-fire has also become politically incorrect in parts of Europe. Paul Bristow, a Conservative MP, was fired on Monday from his government job at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology after urging British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to call for a “permanent cease-fire” in Gaza.

But like US leaders, Sunak was also alone as demonstrated by the half a million people pouring into the streets in London on Saturday in support of Palestine and calling for a cease-fire.

History will prove that those who refused to call for immediate cease-fire have blood on their hands.

A slap in the face for the Israeli security system

We are pleased to publish the below article by Fouad Baker from the Foreign Affairs Department of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP). The DFLP is a Marxist-Leninist party and an important component of the Palestinian national liberation movement.

Fouad addresses the significance of the Al-Aqsa Flood operation, launched by Hamas and other sections of the Palestinian resistance on October 7, from a number of angles. He notes that:

“The Israelis called the ‘Al-Aqsa Flood’ operation a terrorist operation, ignoring the fact that they are the occupiers of lands belonging to the Palestinian people. If they want real peace in the Middle East, they must end the occupation.

“The Palestinian operation exposed the weakness of Israeli intelligence that failed to discover the resistance plan despite all the support from the USA, and the failure of Israel’s surveillance and espionage programmes… The operation’s success was down to the full coordination between the Palestinian resistance factions working in complete secrecy.”

In an important observation regarding not just the regional but also the wider international significance of the operation, he writes:

“It was a move to prevent the Arab regimes from signing peace agreements with Israel and derail American attempts to build economic blocs in the region to besiege China, Iran, and Russia – the most recent of which is the India-Middle East-Europe ‘corridor’.”

The India-Middle East-Europe ‘corridor’ (IMEC) was unveiled at September’s G-20 Summit in the Indian capital New Delhi at the instigation of the United States and a handful of others, including France, Germany, Italy, the European Union, and India, and is the latest attempt by the imperialist powers to counter China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Fouad’s article was written on October 8, just one day after the launch of the Al Aqsa Flood, and obviously Gaza and the wider region have been convulsed by tumultuous events since then. However, the information and analysis he presents retains its relevance and validity.

We thank the comrades of the New Worker, weekly paper of the New Communist Party (NCP) of Britain, for sharing their sub-editing of the article for clarity and style.

Additionally, on October 14, Friends of Socialist China attended on invitation a briefing and discussion meeting on the current situation organised by the DFLP. The meeting was held over Zoom with the participation of communist and other left-wing parties and organisations from around 25 countries.

No one expected that this would be the response of the Palestinian resistance to the plan of the fascist and racist Israeli occupation government based on Judaisation, displacement, expansion of settlements, annexation of lands, storming the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Palestinian camps in the West Bank, administrative arrests, and the liquidation of the Palestinian cause and the national rights of the Palestinian people.

Although Israel possesses the latest technologies, its security system failed to protect the settlers living on stolen Palestinian land. A number of Palestinian resistance fighters were able to cross the border fence separating the Gaza Strip and the settlements killing dozens of settlers and taking others prisoner back to the Gaza Strip.

Some 5,000 missiles were fired from the Gaza Strip towards these illegal settlements, which paralysed the Israeli ‘Iron Dome’ and the Israeli security system. The joint Palestinian operations room, which includes all the Palestinian factions, took part in this military operation. The most prominent of which were Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

The news was greeted with astonishment in the West Bank. Astonishment at the success of the military operation carried out by the Palestinian resistance in the Gaza Strip. Celebratory marches in Palestinian cities in the occupied territories soon led to clashes with Israeli troops.

Israeli troops opened fire on Palestinian demonstrators in towns throughout the West Bank and an Israeli police station was torched in Jerusalem.

The Palestinian resistance called the attack on the Israeli settlements located on the border of the Gaza Strip ‘Operation Al-Aqsa Flood’.

The offensive was designed to regain the initiative and block Saudi-Israeli normalisation, which aims to liquidate the Palestinian cause and deprive them of their national rights. Rights which include the right of the refugees to return to their land, ending the Israeli occupation, establishing an independent Palestinian state.

The Israelis called the “Al-Aqsa Flood” operation a terrorist operation, ignoring the fact that they are the occupiers of lands belonging to the Palestinian people. If they want real peace in the Middle East, they must end the occupation.

The Palestinian operation exposed the weakness of Israeli intelligence that failed to discover the resistance plan despite all the support from the USA, and the failure of Israel’s surveillance and espionage programmes such as their Pegasus spyware which they’ve also sold to some Arab regimes.

The operation’s success was down to the full coordination between the Palestinian resistance factions working in complete secrecy.

The Palestinian bet on using paragliders to penetrate the border fence in the Gaza Strip to destroy Israeli tanks and open the way to the advance towards the illegal settlements worked.

The emergence of a qualitative development in the work of the Palestinian resistance, which transformed primitive rockets and simple shells into semi-precise missiles that reach deep into Israel enabled it to capture Israeli soldiers to use in negotiations for the release of the Palestinian prisoners languishing in Israeli prisons for decades.

The Al-Aqsa Flood operation was launched only after all diplomatic means had been exhausted. It was a specific confrontation due to the racist policy implemented by the Israeli occupation government headed by Benjamin Netanyahu. It was a move to prevent the Arab regimes from signing peace agreements with Israel and derail American attempts to build economic blocs in the region to besiege China, Iran, and Russia – the most recent of which is the India-Middle East-Europe ‘corridor’.

The Israeli response to the Palestinian offensive has been to bomb the Gaza Strip including residential tower blocks and other civilian targets resulting in over 250 Palestinian martyrs and hundreds more wounded.

But the fascist Israeli government wants to avoid a long and multi-fronted conflict as it knows that any military operation that crosses the red line will ignite the Middle East in defence of the Palestinian people, as happened in the October War of 1973.

In the occupied territories, the refugee camps in Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan and the Palestinian communities in Europe the people are rallying behind the defence of the Gaza Strip. Support is coming from Iraq, Yemen and Syria and the Lebanese resistance has already intervened.

Around the world social networking sites are ablaze with congratulations to the Palestinians for this qualitative military operation while the Arabs took to the streets with fireworks and sweets to celebrate a Palestinian victory that has not been seen since the birth of Israel in 1948.

Those who think that the Palestinian people can be fobbed of with email messages of support or agree to becoming political pawns of the great powers are only fooling themselves. The deluded are those who think that the Palestinian people will accept political settlements that do not meet demands that recognise their legitimate national rights. And the most delusional are those who think that peace in the Middle East can be achieved without real justice and an end to the Israeli occupation of the occupied Palestinian territories.

Just as the Battle of Saif al-Quds in Gaza in 2021 ended a stage in the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict, the Al-Aqsa Flood operation opened a new page in the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Western powers hypocritical in smearing China on Xinjiang but neglecting Palestinians’ suffering

On 18 October 2023, the UK ambassador to the UN, James Kariuki, read a joint statement about putative human rights violations in Xinjiang at the Third Committee of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

The statement – which was signed by Albania, Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Eswatini, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Guatemala, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Nauru, Netherlands, North Macedonia, New Zealand, Norway, Palau, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Marshall Islands, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tuvalu, Ukraine, the US and UK – repeated the various now-familiar tropes about the treatment of Xinjiang’s Uyghur population: “arbitrary detention and systematic use of invasive surveillance on the basis of religion and ethnicity”, forced labour, forced sterilisation and more.

At the same session, Pakistan, on behalf of 72 countries, made a statement explicitly supporting China’s position on Xinjiang-, Hong Kong- and Tibet-related issues, strongly opposing the politicisation of human rights, double standards, and interference in other countries’ internal affairs under the pretext of human rights.

Meanwhile Venezuela, on behalf of 19 members of the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations, made a joint statement to support China’s position and to fiercely criticise the Western powers’ outrageous double standards in the field of human rights, racial discrimination and unilateral coercive measures.

The following article, originally carried in Global Times on 19 October, summarises ambassador Zhang Jun’s contribution to the session, in which he resolutely rebuffs the slanders thrown by the imperialist countries and their hangers-on. Observing that the whole narrative around Xinjiang is aimed entirely at weakening and maligning China, Zhang noted the astounding irony of accusing China of anti-Muslim discrimination at a time when Gaza is facing a ferocious assault and the same countries throwing accusations at China are at the same time impeding a ceasefire in the Middle East.

Zhang further addressed the rise in racism and Islamophobia in the Western world:

It is the UK that has seen a rise in racism in recent years. It is the US that is known for committing genocide against Native Americans. Its hypocrisy and double standards on the Israeli-Palestinian issue have also aroused anger among Muslims worldwide. It is some European countries that, under the guise of freedom of speech, condone the desecration of Koran and fuel Islamophobia. The list goes on and on! Your hypocrisy, darkness, and evil are the biggest obstacles to the progress of the international human rights cause.

With the countries of the Global South, including the vast majority of Muslim-majority countries, showing their support for China, it’s abundantly clear that “the political plot to destabilize Xinjiang and contain China has long been seen through by the world and has already completely failed”.

China strongly opposed the US, UK, and a small number of other nations’ attempts to misuse the UN platform to incite conflict and baselessly defame China after they groundlessly blamed China on topics related to the country’s Xinjiang region at a session of the UN General Assembly. Analysts said that the world has once again witnessed the hypocrisy and political motivations of the US and some other Western nations as they claim to “care about” Muslims in China’s Xinjiang area, who live peacefually, while turning a blind eye to the pain of the people in Gaza.

On Wednesday, James Kariuki, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, represented some countries and delivered a joint statement at the 78th session of the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee, in which they alleged China has “violated” human rights of Muslims minorities in the country’s Xinjiang region.

Zhang Jun, China’s permanent representative to the United Nations, strongly refuted these accusations and stated that the bad habits of a few countries like the UK and the US remain unchanged, as they once again abused the Third Committee of the General Assembly to provoke confrontation and groundlessly accuse China, which China firmly opposes and strongly rejects.

“I want to seriously tell a few countries like the UK and the US that the various lies and deceptions about Xinjiang cannot deceive the world. Currently, Xinjiang enjoys social stability and harmony, economic prosperity and development, and religious harmony. These are basic facts that any unbiased person can see clearly,” Zhang said.

No matter what political performance the US, UK and some countries put on or how desperately they try to rally other countries, their political plot to destabilize Xinjiang and contain China has long been seen through by the world and has already completely failed, said Zhang.

While refuting lies about China’s Xinjiang region, Ambassador Zhang also warned that a few countries like the UK and the US that using human rights issues as an excuse to accuse and attack China cannot cover up their own blemishes.

“It is the UK that has seen a rise in racism in recent years… It is the US that is known for committing genocide against Native Americans… Its hypocrisy and double standards on the Israeli-Palestinian issue have also aroused anger among Muslims worldwide. It is some European countries that, under the guise of freedom of speech, condone the desecration of Koran and fuel Islamophobia… This list can go on and on! Your hypocrisy, darkness, and evil are the biggest obstacles to the progress of the international human rights cause,” Zhang added.

It is not uncommon to see the US and other Western nations take advantage of international forums, particularly the UN Assembly, to “siege” China by spotlighting “human rights” issues in China’s Xinjiang. Their goal is to keep these topics the focus in the international media and to continue stigmatizing China, analysts said.

“China has invited foreign diplomats, reporters, professors, and individuals from a variety of fields to see what actually happened in the Xinjiang region with their own eyes for the past few years. These individuals have then come out to debunk lies propagated by anti-China forces in the US and other nations,” Jia Chunyang, an expert at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times.

“Do the US and other Western countries sincerely care about the welfare of Muslims across the world? The response is ‘no,'” Jia brought out the worsening discrimination toward Muslims living in the US.

Additionally, the US and some Western nations ignore the suffering of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip while voicing their “concerns” for Muslims in China’s Xinjiang region – this amply demonstrates that their true priorities are to use the Xinjiang topic to contain China rather than to genuinely care about the lives of the people living there, analysts said.

Also on Wednesday, the US vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that would have called for “humanitarian pauses” to deliver lifesaving aid to millions in Gaza, according to media reports.

The US’ biased stance on the current situation in the Middle East fully exposed its hypocrisies and its practices of politicizing and instrumentalizing human rights, Wang Jiang, an expert at the Institute of China’s Borderland Studies at Zhejiang Normal University, told the Global Times.

The West and the US have historically contributed to the human rights cause, but what they are doing now completely contradicts the ideas and perspectives that were first introduced about human rights. The US and certain other Western nations have various standards on human rights for other nations, as well as for adversaries and allies, and which standard they employ depends on their own political requirements, Wang said.

Ambassador Zhang on Wednesday also criticized the US and some Western countries’ politicization of human rights, noting that such actions are “completely unpopular.”

On Wednesday, the representative of Oman, on behalf of the six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council, made a joint statement in support of China. In the meeting held the previous day, developing countries and friendly nations actively spoke in support of China.

Zhang Jun: Without a comprehensive ceasefire, humanitarian assistance will only be a drop in the ocean

After four attempts to pass a resolution in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on the conflict in Gaza had already failed, due to the imperialist powers, led by the United States, aiding and abetting Israeli genocide, China, joined by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), currently a non-permanent member, called for an emergency UNSC meeting on October 30.

In his remarks to the meeting, Ambassador Zhang Jun noted that on Friday October 27, an emergency special session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) had, by an overwhelming majority, adopted a resolution calling for an immediate and durable humanitarian truce leading to the cessation of hostilities.

“Regrettably and unacceptably however, Israel, turning a deaf ear to the common concerns of the international community, has chosen to further escalate its military operations in Gaza and formally declared the launch of a ground assault.”

Noting the warning made by UN Secretary-General Guterres that the people of Gaza are facing an “avalanche of human suffering”, the Chinese Ambassador went on:

“Having one of the highest population density in the world, Gaza is a land that has been under siege for 16 years. The 2.3 million innocent people are living in utter fear amidst the indiscriminate bombardment and have been cut off from water, electricity, food, and fuel for 21 days. Just this past weekend, they experienced a communication blackout that lasted for nearly 36 hours. If left unchecked, the situation will spiral further out of control and an even greater humanitarian catastrophe will be inevitable.”

After expressing, “our deep sympathy to the people in Gaza who are struggling on the brink of life and death,” Zhang Jun said:

“China solemnly calls on Israel as the occupying power to fulfil its obligations under international humanitarian law, lift its full siege on Gaza, immediately rescind its emergency evacuation order, and expeditiously restore the supply of basic necessities so as to prevent an even larger humanitarian disaster.”

And clearly addressing himself to the United States, he added:

“China solemnly calls on a certain major country with special influence on the parties concerned to put aside its self-interests and geopolitical considerations and make every effort to stop the war and restore peace.”

He warned of the real dangers of escalation: “There will be no firewall in Gaza… The situation in the West Bank and along the Lebanese-Israeli border has already sounded the alarm.”

Although humanitarian assistance is vital: “Without a comprehensive ceasefire, humanitarian assistance, no matter how much there is, will only be a drop in the ocean. What the people in Gaza need now is more than just the reiteration by the Council of the importance of international humanitarian law and unfulfilled promises of protection. What they need is concrete actions to restore peace, uphold the rule of law, and save lives.”

In solemn words that match the gravity of the situation, and which all countries would do well to heed, Ambassador Zhang Jun concluded:

“At this juncture. silence means acquiescence, and inaction is tantamount to a green light. The eyes of the world are upon us, and history will record our choice.”

The next day, October 31, at the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s regular press conference, in response to a question from Chinese television, Spokesperson Wang Wenbin stated:

“For too long, Palestinian territories have been under illegal occupation. For too long, the Palestinian people’s right to independent statehood has been overlooked. And for too long, their basic rights have received no fundamental guarantee. This is the root cause of the cycle of conflict between Palestine and Israel. Such historical injustice must not continue.”

The following article was originally published on the website of the Permanent Mission of the People’s Republic of China to the United Nations.

Mr. President.

First of all, I would like to thank Brazil for organizing today’s meeting upon the request of the UAE and China. I thank Executive Director Catherine Russell, Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini, and Ms. Lisa Doughten for the briefings. Their briefings underscored once again the gravity of the situation in Gaza and the urgency for the Council to act.

Last Friday, the 10th emergency special session of the General Assembly adopted by an overwhelming majority a resolution calling for an immediate and durable humanitarian truce leading to the cessation of hostilities. This reflected the widespread call on the part of the international community. Regrettably and unacceptably however, Israel, turning a deaf ear to the common concerns of the international community, has chosen to further escalate its military operations in Gaza and formally declared the launch of a ground assault.

Secretary-General Guterres has warned that the population in Gaza is facing an “avalanche of human suffering”. Having one of the highest population density in the world, Gaza is a land that has been under siege for 16 years. The 2.3 million innocent people are living in utter fear amidst the indiscriminate bombardment and have been cut off from water, electricity, food, and fuel for 21 days. Just this past weekend, they experienced a communication blackout that lasted for nearly 36 hours. If left unchecked, the situation will spiral further out of control and an even greater humanitarian catastrophe will be inevitable.

We express our deep sympathy to the people in Gaza who are struggling on the brink of life and death. And we are also deeply worried about the Middle East peace process which is on the brink of collapse.

China solemnly calls on the parties to the conflict to cease all hostilities, disengage immediately, put in place a humanitarian truce, and make every effort to prevent the situation from escalating further.

China solemnly calls on Israel as the occupying power to fulfill its obligations under international humanitarian law, lift its full siege on Gaza, immediately rescind its emergency evacuation order, and expeditiously restore the supply of basic necessities so as to prevent an even larger humanitarian disaster.

China solemnly calls for greater diplomatic efforts to facilitate the release of hostages without delay and to work on this basis to open up space for dialogue, so as to return to the track of a political settlement.

China solemnly calls on a certain major country with special influence on the parties concerned to put aside its self interests and geopolitical considerations and make every effort to stop the war and restore peace.

Mr. President,

The decades-long history of the Palestinian-Israeli issue has taught us that military means is not the solution. Absolute security cannot be achieved by imposing collective punishment on civilians, and violence for violence will only exacerbate hatred and confrontation. We call on the parties to the conflict to abandon their blind faith in the use of force and to commit themselves to breaking the cycle of violence and achieving common security.

There will be no firewall in Gaza. It is a dangerous myth to think that a contained war is possible there. Allowing the fighting in Gaza to continue could very well turn it into a military catastrophe that will engulf the entire region. The situation in the West Bank and along the Lebanese-Israeli border has already sounded the alarm. We call on all parties who are concerned about the spillover of the conflict to devote their efforts towards promoting a ceasefire in Gaza.

As long as the war rages on, more violations of international humanitarian law are bound to happen. Without a comprehensive ceasefire, humanitarian assistance, no matter how much there is, will only be a drop in the ocean. What the people in Gaza need now is more than just the reiteration by the Council of the importance of international humanitarian law and unfulfilled promises of protection. What they need is concrete actions to restore peace, uphold the rule of law, and save lives.

The Council has so far held several meetings on the Palestinian-Israeli Situation. It cannot be said that there was no consensus at all. The resolution just adopted by the General Assembly has also pointed the Council in the right direction. In the face of the current critical situation, China once again solemnly calls on the Council to strengthen unity, build consensus, and take responsible and meaningful actions as soon as possible. We believe that so long as we focus on the most pressing issues such as a ceasefire and an end to the fighting, the protection of civilians, and the prevention of a larger humanitarian disaster, it is possible for members of this Council to reach consensus, and indeed this is what we should do. At this juncture. silence means acquiescence, and inaction is tantamount to a green light. The eyes of the world are upon us, and history will record our choice.

Thank you, Mr. President.

The West’s stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is callous and irresponsible

The following article from Global Times discusses the recent escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the hypocritical behaviour of the Western powers.

The article observes that the Israeli state has ordered a “complete siege” on Gaza – a densely-populated area which has already been under effective siege for the last 16 years, and which has often been described as the world’s largest open-air prison. In addition to the loss of several thousand Palestinian lives in the last decade (mostly the result of missile strikes), Israel’s ongoing abuse of Palestinian human rights has led to the devastation of the economy and the near-collapse of basic services. Now in response to the surprise attack led by Hamas, Israel is engaged in a further act of collective punishment, cutting off electricity and water supplies, while mobilising its military for a possible full-scale ground invasion of Gaza.

The author asserts that “the urgent task facing the international community, especially the major powers, is to quickly put the brakes on this tragedy and prevent a larger-scale humanitarian catastrophe.” Unfortunately the imperialist powers are showing no interest in preventing a catastrophe or in addressing the fundamental cause of the crisis – the ongoing national oppression of the Palestinian people.

The article points out that “the most rational and responsible approach is to call on all parties to exercise maximum restraint and calm and to achieve a ceasefire as soon as possible.” But the US and its allies are instead increasing their military aid to Israel, cracking down on pro-Palestine opinion at home, and waging fierce propaganda against the Palestinian resistance movement. “The words and actions of the US and many Western countries are fanning the flames rather than cooling down the situation.”

Xi Jinping commented in December 2022 that “the legitimate rights of a nation are not up for trade. I would like to reiterate that China firmly supports the establishment of an independent State of Palestine that enjoys full sovereignty based on 1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as its capital.” It is perfectly clear that there will be no lasting peace in the region until the Palestinian people gain their freedom and self-determination, in accordance with international law.

The casualty data of this round of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is being updated every day, causing concern and distress for the civilians living in the area. According to Israeli media reports on October 9, the conflict has resulted in more than 1,300 deaths and over 5,000 injuries on both sides. Both Israel and Palestine have suffered a large number of civilian casualties. Additionally, humanitarian relief organizations of the United Nations have stated that over 120,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have been displaced. The conflict is still escalating, and there is a significant degree of uncertainty about how much it will escalate and in which direction it will develop in the future. However, one thing is certain: The damage and suffering caused by the conflict will largely be borne by the local civilians, and they are in great need of care and protection from the outside world.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has ordered a “complete siege” on Gaza, where over 2 million Palestinian residents live densely packed. They already endure severe material blockades and restrictions on movement year-round, and the outbreak of the conflict has added to their dangers and hardships. Electricity and water supplies have been cut off, and a new humanitarian disaster is brewing. This is a focal point that the international community cannot afford to ignore in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The urgent task facing the international community, especially the major powers, is how to quickly put the brakes on this tragedy and prevent a larger-scale humanitarian catastrophe. It is the responsibility of the international community to address this issue promptly.

Bashar al-Assad: China has gone from being the world’s factory to being the world’s innovation powerhouse

In this edition of the CGTN series Leaders Talk, Zou Yun interviews Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who was visiting China for the first time in 19 years. His 21-26 September visit began in Hangzhou, where he and his wife Mrs. Asma al-Assad were among the international leaders to attend the opening of the 19th Asian Games. Talks with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping saw the two countries establish a strategic partnership and their agenda focused in particular on the Syrian people’s efforts to rebuild their country after years of war and its full return to the regional and international stage.

In the interview, President Assad was clearly touched by the warm and spontaneous welcome given by Chinese spectators to the Syrian athletes as they entered the stadium as well as by the subsequent comments by Chinese netizens on social media. Comparing the China of today with the one he saw on his previous visit in 2004, he said it had gone from being the world’s factory to being the world’s innovation powerhouse. But what was even more important than the changes was that the patriotic qualities of the Chinese people had not changed.

Reflecting on his talks with President Xi, the Syrian leader noted that China rejects hegemony and always stands with Syria politically. He felt that there was much that could be learned from the Chinese experience of modernisation as China’s own situation was once similar to that of many other third world countries. Syria and other countries, he continued, had once tried to learn from the western experience, but these attempts had proved to be unsuccessful and even counterproductive.

Turning to the current situation in Syria, Assad noted that the war is not over. The physical destruction could be addressed, as Syria had done many times in its long history, but the destruction of national culture and civilisation by western neoliberalism led by the United States, along with the related issue of extremism, was more dangerous. If Syria is rebuilt, he continued, his country will have a bright future. It had previously enjoyed high growth and low debt, was an exporter of wheat and other foodstuffs and had been developing various industries.

He praised the recent reconciliation between Iran and Saudi Arabia, which was facilitated by China, as a huge achievement and a wonderful surprise. Syria had suffered for years from the estrangement between these two neighbouring countries. According to the Syrian President, the world is now in a period of transition from the centuries of colonialism, which had begun with the “discovery” of the Americas, and which has been characterised by slaughter and exploitation. It is this transition that underlines the significance of the various international initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping.

The full interview with President Bashar al-Assad is embedded below.

China and Syria announce establishment of a strategic partnership

President Bashar al-Assad of the Syrian Arab Republic, accompanied by First Lady Mrs. Asma al-Assad and a large government delegation, visited China from September 21-26, beginning with attending the opening of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou.

This was President Assad’s second visit to China, the first being in 2004. Syria was one of the first Arab countries to establish diplomatic relations with China, on August 1, 1956, preceded by Egypt on May 30, 1956.

Meeting his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on September 22, the two leaders jointly announced the establishment of a China-Syria strategic partnership. Xi Jinping said that over the 67 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, the China-Syria relationship has stood the test of changes in the international situation, and their friendship has grown stronger over time, and went on to note that the establishment of the strategic partnership will be an important milestone in the history of bilateral ties.

Xi emphasised that China will continue to work with Syria to firmly support each other on issues concerning the two sides’ respective core interests and major concerns, safeguard the common interests of both countries and other developing countries, and uphold international fairness and justice.

China supports Syria in opposing foreign interference, rejecting unilateralism and bullying, and safeguarding national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, he said.

Assad said that in international affairs, China has always aligned itself with international fairness and justice, and upheld international law and humanitarianism, playing an important and constructive role.

The Syrian side thanks the Chinese government for its invaluable support to the Syrian people, firmly opposes any act of interference in China’s internal affairs and is willing to be China’s long-term and staunch friend and partner.

In the joint statement announcing their establishment of a strategic partnership, Syria affirmed its adherence to the one-China principle and expressed support for China’s positions with regard to Taiwan, Hong Kong and Xinjiang affairs.

In turn: “China firmly supports Syria in safeguarding national independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, supports the Syrian people in following a development path suited to its national conditions, supports the policies and measures adopted by the Syrian government aimed at safeguarding national security, stability and development, opposes interference by external forces in Syria’s internal affairs and undermining of Syria’s security and stability, opposes the illegal military presence in Syria, the launching of illegal military operations and the illegal plundering of Syria’s natural resources, and urges relevant countries to immediately lift all illegal unilateral sanctions against Syria.”

The two sides expressed willingness to deepen exchanges and cooperation between political parties, parliaments and local governments of the two countries and to strengthen the exchange of experience in governance. They will also strengthen friendly cooperation in various fields, such as economy and trade, agriculture, culture, youth work and journalism. China will continue to provide assistance to Syria within its capacity to support it in its reconstruction and restoration. The Syrian side thanks China for its political support and selfless help, as well as for speaking out for Syria at the UN Security Council. The two countries agreed to continue to strengthen counterterrorism and security cooperation and to work together to combat terrorism.

China supports and welcomes Syria’s return to the League of Arab States, supports Syria in improving its relations with other Arab countries, and supports Arab countries in the region, including Syria, in unity and self-strengthening.

China and Syria will strengthen coordination and cooperation in regional and international affairs, jointly adhere to true multilateralism, defend the international system with the United Nations at its core, the international order based on international law, and the basic norms governing international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, resolutely oppose all forms of hegemonism and power politics, including the imposition of illegal unilateral sanctions and restrictive measures against other countries, and promote the building of a new type of international relations, and work together to build a community with a shared future for humanity.

From Hangzhou, President Assad and his party continued to Beijing, where they met with Premier Li Qiang and Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress.

Premier Li said that China and Syria have shared a time-honoured friendship and are true friends who stand together through thick and thin.

He added that China will continue to firmly support Syria in safeguarding its national independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, in following a development path suited to its national conditions, and firmly opposes external interference in Syria’s internal affairs.

China welcomes Syria’s participation in the Belt and Road Initiative, will continue to support Syria’s reconstruction, recovery, and development, and is willing to expand bilateral economic and trade exchanges with Syria, and strengthen people-to-people exchanges and cooperation.

The Chinese Premier told President Assad: “Friendship is a tree whose roots are loyalty and whose branches are kindness. You, Your Excellency, are an old and dear friend of the people of China.”

President Assad thanked the Chinese government for providing support to Syria in its war against terrorism and in dealing with the aftermath of the earthquake that hit the country last February.

He pointed out that friendship and trust between Syria and China are based on a similar history and fixed principles, and these principles are the same ones from which we can move towards the future.

Meeting Zhao Leji, President Assad said that the transition from the old world, which depends on force, to the new world, which is based on morals, must start from the role of China, which follows an ethical policy and development and presents initiatives to the whole world.

He said that China stood by Syria politically, based on the Chinese policy that rejects interference in the internal affairs of countries, respects the policies of countries, and rejects terrorism and added that China also supported Syria on the economic and humanitarian fronts, helping the Syrian people to mitigate the effects of the siege.

For his part, Zhao Leji said that: “Syria and China are working together and will continue to exchange support regarding the core interests of both sides in order to strengthen friendship between the two countries and enhance understanding between the two peoples.”

He added that: “China will continue to be on the right side of history to promote development for all humanity.”

The following reports were originally published by the Xinhua News Agency, the website of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA). The text of the joint statement was machine translated from Chinese and lightly edited by us.

Xi, Assad jointly announce China-Syria strategic partnership

HANGZHOU, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Friday jointly announced the establishment of a China-Syria strategic partnership.

The two presidents met in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, ahead of the opening of the 19th Asian Games scheduled for Saturday.

Syria was one of the first Arab countries that established diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China, and was one of the countries that co-sponsored the resolution to restore the lawful seat of the People’s Republic of China in the United Nations, Xi said.

Over the 67 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, the China-Syria relationship has stood the test of changes in the international situation, and their friendship has grown stronger over time, he said.

Xi noted that the establishment of the strategic partnership will be an important milestone in the history of bilateral ties.

China is willing to work with Syria to enrich their relationship and continuously advance the China-Syria strategic partnership, Xi said.

Xi emphasized that China will continue to work with Syria to firmly support each other on issues concerning the two sides’ respective core interests and major concerns, safeguard the common interests of both countries and other developing countries, and uphold international fairness and justice.

China supports Syria in opposing foreign interference, rejecting unilateralism and bullying, and safeguarding national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, he said.

China supports Syria in conducting reconstruction, enhancing counter-terrorism capacity building, and promoting a political settlement of the Syrian issue following the “Syrian-led, Syrian-owned” principle, Xi said.

China also supports Syria in improving its relations with other Arab countries and playing a greater role in international and regional affairs, he added.

China is willing to strengthen Belt and Road cooperation with Syria, increase the import of high-quality agricultural products from Syria, and jointly implement the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative to make active contributions to regional and global peace and development.

Syria highly appreciates and firmly supports the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, and will actively participate in them, Assad added.

The Syrian side thanks the Chinese government for its invaluable support to the Syrian people, firmly opposes any act of interference in China’s internal affairs, and is willing to be China’s long-term and staunch friend and partner, he said.

Assad said Syria will take the establishment of the Syria-China strategic partnership as an opportunity to strengthen bilateral friendly cooperation and step up their communication and coordination in international and regional affairs.

After the talks, the two heads of state witnessed the signing of bilateral cooperation documents in areas including Belt and Road cooperation, and economic and technological cooperation.

The two sides issued a joint statement on the establishment of the strategic partnership.

Senior Chinese leaders including Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Wang Yi and Shen Yiqin attended the activities.

China is a friend and strategic ally of Syria

Chinese embassies around the world organised celebrations for the 96th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), which fell on August 1st.

At a reception held in the Syrian capital Damascus on July 25, China’s Defence Attaché said in his speech that the friendship between the two countries has a deep-rooted history, noting that despite the changes in the international and regional situation, they have always supported each other.

Describing Syria as a “loyal friend” of China, he noted that the practical cooperation between the Chinese and Syrian armies has witnessed continuous development in recent years and exchanges in the security and military field have yielded fruitful results.

He confirmed that his country will continue its strong support for the Syrian army’s struggle to preserve national sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and for its efforts in combating terrorism and restoring national security and stability.

Responding, Syria’s Defence Minister, Major General Ali Mahmoud Abbas praised China’s stance, army, people, and leadership for its standing by Syria and its just causes during the unjust and aggressive war that was waged against it.

Director of the Diplomatic Institute at the Syrian Foreign and Expatriates Ministry, Dr. Imad Mustafa told reporters that China is a friend and strategic ally of Syria and it serves as the guarantor of a new multipolar world, which puts an end to US hegemony in the international arena.

The following report was originally published by the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).

Damascus, SANA- The Embassy of the People’s Republic of China held Tuesday a reception ceremony on the 96th anniversary of founding of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army.

The Defense Attaché at Chinese Embassy in Damascus said in a speech that the friendship between Syria and his country has deep-rooted history, noting that despite the changes in the international and regional situation, the two countries have always supported each other.

The Defense Attaché described Syria as a “loyal friend” of China, and that the relationship between the two countries is a model for friendly relations between countries with different locations, cultures and systems.

He noted that the practical cooperation between the Chinese and Syrian armies has witnessed continuous development in recent years, and exchanges in the security and military field have yielded fruitful results.

He confirmed that his country will continue its strong support for the Syrian army’s struggle to preserve national sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and for its efforts in combating terrorism and restoring national security and stability.

He expressed his country’s desire to push forward the practical cooperation between the two armies in various fields.

In turn, Defense Minister, Major Gen. Ali Mahmoud Abbas praised China’s stance, army, people, and leadership for its standing by Syrian and it’s just causes during the unjust and aggressive war that was waged against it.

Minister Abbas stressed that Syria seeks to constantly boost the relationship between the two countries, which extends back decades, in a way that serves the common interest to achieve prosperity for the two peoples and achieve a better future.

The Minister of Defense congratulated China and its people on the anniversary of the establishment of its army, which coincides on 1 August with the 78th anniversary of the founding of the Syrian Arab Army.

He pointed out to the commitment of the two armies since their establishment to a good relationship that reflects the deep-rooted relation binding both countries.

Director of the Diplomatic Institute at the Syrian Foreign and Expatriates Ministry, Dr. Imad Mustafa told the reporters that China is a friend and strategic ally of Syria, and it serves as the guarantor of a new multipolar world in which it puts an end to American hegemony in the international arena.

Xi Jinping meets with national leaders of Malawi, Republic of Congo, Namibia, Tanzania and Iran

On the final day, August 24, of his recent visit to South Africa, Chinese President Xi Jinping held a further round of bilateral meetings with other national leaders on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit.

Meeting Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera, Xi said that China supports Malawi in exploring a development path suited to its national conditions, and stands ready to continuously offer whatever help China can to the country in its socio-economic development.

For his part, Chakwera noted that China is always the first to lend a helping hand to Malawi when the latter faces difficulties, adding that during his recent visit to China, he was not only warmly received, but also truly felt that China is Malawi’s true friend, brother and partner.

China will, as always, firmly support the Republic of the Congo in safeguarding its national independence and opposing foreign interference, the Chinese President said, whilst meeting his Congolese counterpart, Denis Sassou Nguesso.

Calling Sassou Nguesso an old friend and good friend of the Chinese people, Xi pointed out that the sound development of bilateral relations is inseparable from the fact that Sassou Nguesso attaches great importance to and sticks to friendship with China.

Noting that next year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, Xi said China is ready to make joint plans and hold grand celebrations with the Congolese side.

Sassou Nguesso said Xi’s successful state visit to the Republic of the Congo in 2013 remains fresh in his memory, adding that Chinese enterprises have undertaken many national construction projects in his country, and friendship and cooperation with China are important factors for the country’s continuous development.

China stands ready to strengthen cooperation with Namibia in various fields, including in clean energy, and will encourage Chinese enterprises to invest in the country, Xi Jinping said, when meeting with his Namibian counterpart, Hage Geingob.

Xi said President Geingob is an old friend of the Chinese people, who has deep affection for China. The Chinese side greatly appreciates the president’s firm support for China’s position on issues of core interests, and his delivering justice and speaking out for righteousness in international affairs.

Xi pointed out that China and Africa share similar historical experiences and hard struggle, adding that China insists on equality and mutual respect between big and small countries.

The Communist Party of China has led the Chinese people to successfully build socialism with Chinese characteristics, while at the same time making efforts to push forward the building of a community with a shared future for humanity, Xi said.

Through proposing a series of initiatives such as the Belt and Road cooperation, Xi added, China offers opportunities to developing countries to realise joint development and prosperity, and fights for more equal rights for developing nations.

For his part, Geingob said Namibia and China enjoy long-term friendship. China is an all-weather friend, and even more so a friend who you can count on when in difficulty. The Namibian side is deeply grateful to China’s firm support in the various causes of fighting for national independence and emancipation as well as national development.

He said as a leader of a global major country, President Xi has led the Chinese people to achieve remarkable accomplishments, and treats African leaders with equality and humility, which is very touching.

The Namibian side has been greatly inspired by the thoughts on socialism with Chinese characteristics, and is exploring a modernization path with Namibian characteristics, Geingob noted.

Geingob is President both of the Republic of Namibia and of the South West African People’s Organisation (SWAPO) of Namibia. At its 2017 Congress, SWAPO formally adopted socialism with Namibian characteristics as its official ideology.

Meeting Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, Xi said that stronger China-Africa cooperation under the current international situation is conducive to the unity among developing countries, as well as to safeguarding their legitimate development interests.

He pointed out that Hassan’s successful visit to China in November last year was a highlight moment in China-Tanzania relations. China-Tanzania cooperation has always been at the forefront of China-Africa cooperation, and the Tanzania-Zambia Railway is a beautiful memory shared by the people of China and Tanzania.

Noting that next year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of China-Tanzania diplomatic ties, Xi said China is willing to take the opportunity of jointly celebrating this anniversary to continuously work with Tanzania in firmly supporting each other’s core interests and major concerns while deepening strategic cooperation.

Noting that Tanzania and China have maintained close exchanges at all levels and that cooperation projects have progressed smoothly, President Hassan said Tanzania highly appreciates China’s valuable support for and assistance to the development of developing countries. Tanzania and other developing countries have all benefited a lot from the Belt and Road cooperation and other major initiatives proposed by Xi, she said.

Meeting with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Xi said that China stands ready to strengthen cooperation with Iran on BRICS and other multilateral platforms, so as to push for healthy and robust development of multilateralism.

Xi congratulated Iran on becoming a member of BRICS, stressing that it is a historic event that the BRICS summit, with joint efforts of all parties, has made the decision to expand. All the new members are countries with important influence, Xi said, expressing confidence that they will have a major impact on the world.

The BRICS Summit agreed to invite Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to join the cooperation mechanism from January 2024, in what the host, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa described as, “the first phase of the expansion process.” More than 40 countries have expressed an interest to join, with more than 20 having already submitted formal applications.

Xi said that since Raisi’s successful visit to China in February this year, the two countries have wasted no time to implement the consensus reached between the two leaders, which has achieved positive results. He added that he is glad that with the joint efforts of China, Iran and Saudi Arabia, Iran and Saudi Arabia have achieved reconciliation, which has promoted security and stability in the Middle East.

For his part, Raisi said Iran highly appreciates and thanks China for supporting Iran in becoming a full member of BRICS, which will provide fresh momentum for the development of Iran-China relations.

The Iranian President expressed gratitude for Xi’s important role in promoting dialogue and reconciliation between Iran and Saudi Arabia, adding that the expansion of BRICS shows that unilateralism is going downhill.

The following articles were published by the Xinhua News Agency.

Xi says China supports Malawi in exploring development path suited to its national conditions

JOHANNESBURG, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) — China supports Malawi in exploring a development path suited to its national conditions, and stands ready to continuously offer whatever help China can to the country in its socio-economic development, Chinese President Xi Jinping said here on Thursday.

Xi made the remarks when meeting with his Malawian counterpart, Lazarus Chakwera, on the sidelines of the 15th BRICS Summit.

Xi said he appreciates Chakwera for upholding the one-China principle since taking office.

It is hoped that China and Malawi can continuously support each other on issues concerning their respective core interests and major concerns, push for new results in practical cooperation between the two countries, and promote ever-new development of bilateral relations, he said.

China is willing to strengthen solidarity and cooperation with Malawi and other developing countries, and advance the development of the international order in a more equal and just direction, he said.

Malawi firmly adheres to the one-China policy, he said, adding that the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by Xi is conducive to the common development of developing countries.

Chakwera added that Malawi is willing to continuously deepen friendship and cooperation with China.

PFLP leader: we highly appreciate China’s constant support for the just cause of the Palestinian people

The fourth China-Arab States Political Parties Dialogue was jointly organised by the International Department of the Communist Party of China (IDCPC) together with the Central Party School and the party committee of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region on July 13 in Yinchuan, the capital city of Ningxia Hui. It was attended by the leaders of 67 political parties and organisations from 19 Arab countries.

Mahmoud Abbas, Chairman of the Fatah party and President of Palestine, sent a written speech to the gathering, in which he said that the Palestinian side thanked the Chinese side for its long-term commitment to resolving the Palestinian issue in a peaceful and just manner, and highly appreciated President Xi Jinping’s three proposals for this purpose. The Palestinian side firmly supports the one-China principle, resolutely opposes external forces’ interference in China’s internal affairs, and opposes the politicization of human rights issues. Fatah, he said, is willing to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with the CPC so as to strengthen communication and cooperation, and to promote the further development of Palestine-China relations as well as Arab States-China relations.

A significant intervention was made in the dialogue by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). In his speech, its Deputy Secretary-General, Jamil Mazhar affirmed the Popular Front’s support for China and its sovereignty and territorial integrity, including with regard to Taiwan, and called for the adoption of joint policies and decisions that would limit the US domination of oil prices, and open huge projects in the fields of energy, as well as the establishment of a global cooperation network for dialogue between Arab and Chinese civilizations.

Mazhar called for China to strengthen its role in pressing for the implementation of resolutions to establish fair international legitimacy for the Palestinian people, in addition to presenting proposals to strengthen the special relationship between the Popular Front and the Communist Party of China.

He conveyed greetings to the CPC from the Palestinian people and from the leadership of the PFLP, in particular from its Secretary-General Ahmed Sa’adat. Comrade Sa’adat has spent much of his life in prison and is presently serving a 30-year sentence handed down by an Israeli military court in 2008. He was placed in solitary confinement in 2010, which was only lifted when he and other PFLP prisoners ended a 21-day hunger strike on 17 October 2011.

Comrade Mazhar further stressed that China is a springboard for important global transformations that put an end to US imperialist hegemony and its savage policies in the world, expressing the Front’s pride in the historical China-Palestine relations, which reflect the depth and strength of relations that unite the two peoples, and which have witnessed a great acceleration in recent years in all fields, highly appreciating China’s constant support for the just causes of the Palestinian people in their struggle to restore their legitimate national rights.

He expressed great confidence that China and its leadership will continue to support the struggle of the Palestinian people for statehood, stressing the Front’s keenness to develop relations with the CPC in all fields.

The previous month, on June 7, the China Daily carried an article by another Palestinian resistance leader. Ahmad Majdalani, Secretary-General of the Palestinian Popular Struggle Front and Executive Committee member of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), wrote that, “Palestinians have a strategic interest in the growing role and power of China as a friendly state,” adding:

“We Palestinians welcome the Global Civilization Initiative, as it is based on mutual respect, mutual benefit, equality and development of all countries. Fair and just resolution of global and regional issues has been hindered under the United States-led world order. The Global Civilization Initiative, on the other hand, is a visionary initiative that aligns with Palestinian aspirations and could help the Palestinian president to convene an international peace conference.

“The initiative creates an ideal opportunity in the year that marks the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Palestine and China to work toward achieving tangible results, in order to realize better benefits for the peoples of both countries and expand cooperation in various fields. Sino-Palestinian constructive cooperation has been progressing well, giving us enough reasons to be optimistic about the possibility of further deepening pragmatic cooperation.”

The leader of the Popular Struggle Front added:

“We expect China to continue supporting the just Palestinian cause, and hope that China will spare no efforts in helping seek serious negotiations in an attempt to resolve the Palestinian issue. And as Palestinians, we must seize this historic moment to strengthen relations with China as a strategic partner and true friend. Palestine also needs to increase practical engagement in the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative while playing an important role in shaping humanity’s shared destiny.

“China has begun its journey to build a modern socialist country, which would achieve the goals of developing Arab-Chinese projects and launching strategic partnerships between China and Arab countries, representing a successful model of solidarity, cooperation and mutual benefit.”

The following articles originally appeared on the websites of the IDCPC, the PFLP and China Daily. The article from the PFLP was machine translated from Arabic and lightly edited by us.

Fourth China-Arab States Political Parties Dialogue Held

On July 13th, the fourth China-Arab States Political Parties Dialogue, which was co-organized by the International Department of the CPC Central Committee (IDCPC), the Party School of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee (National Academy of Governance), the CPC Committee of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, was held in Yinchuan. The dialogue was themed on “China-Arab States civilization exchanges: from the ancient Silk Road to the community with a shared destiny in the new era”. Liu Jianchao, Minister of the IDCPC, Xie Chuntao, Vice President of the Party School of the CPC Central Committee (National Academy of Governance) responsible for routine work, and Liang Yanshun, Secretary of the CPC Committee of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region were present. Mahmoud Abbas, Chairman of Fatah and President of Palestine sent a written speech to the dialogue. The event’s attendees included political leaders of 67 political parties and organizations from 19 Arab countries and leaders, such as Fatima Habib, leader of the Equity Party and Vice President of the National Assembly of Mauritania, Hassan Benomar, Member of the Political Bureau of the National Rally of Independents (RNI) and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of Morocco, Saleban Daher Bile, National Secretary of the People’s Rally for Progress(RPP), Secretary-General of the National Assembly of Djibouti, and representatives of think tanks and media.

CGTN interview with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas

In this latest instalment of the CGTN series, Leaders Talk, Wang Guan interviews Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas during his recent state visit to China.

Abbas says that that the upgrading of relations between China and Palestine to that of a strategic partnership this time is of great significance. It is a good fortune to the Palestinian people that China always firmly stands on their side and provides assistance to them. Agreements reached during this visit include major projects in economy, agriculture, sister city programs, and so on.

The Palestinian leader regards China’s brokering of reconciliation between Iran and Saudi Arabia, and the resulting steps to resolve other disputes, both long-standing and more recent, in the region, as a miracle, adding that all Arabs are pleased with China’s efforts.

In response to his interviewer’s observation that the Palestinian issue is at the heart of Middle Eastern politics, but no progress has been made in its resolution due to the unbalanced US position, Abbas notes that Israel has discussed a ‘two-state solution’ but not enacted it. The US, he explains, acts as a roadblock, with little interest in solving the Palestinian issue. However, the United States also once refused to recognise Nelson Mandela and supported the racist policy of apartheid in South Africa, but they eventually capitulated and changed their stance.

Asked for his impressions of Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Abbas described him as a dear friend, both to himself and to the Palestinian people – a man who keeps his promises and never resorts to empty talk. Palestine, he continued, stands with China on the Taiwan issue. “If any country opposes China, we will resolutely oppose them and firmly stand with China.”

At the age of 13, Abbas, together with his family, had to leave their home and become refugees in Syria at the time of the Palestinian Nakba in 1948. Abbas reflects: “Our land was seized by others and Palestinians were forced into displacement. Today we are still fighting to return to our homeland and establish an independent Palestinian state.” The Palestinian President, who has visited China a total of 13 times, five of them as state visits, says that one significant similarity between the Palestinian and Chinese peoples is their determination to tirelessly strive for their goals once they have resolved to do so.

The full interview with President Abbas is embedded below.

Lowkey contrasts US and Chinese policies on the Middle East

At an important webinar organized by the International Manifesto Group on The End of US Hegemonism in West Asia, British-Iraqi researcher, academic and musician Lowkey provided an extremely interesting comparison of US and Chinese policy in relation to the West Asian region.

Noting that the US war in Afghanistan has turned a quarter of Afghans into refugees and left over 70 percent of the remaining population in poverty, Lowkey pointed out that China is providing humanitarian assistance and major investment, including a proposed 10 billion dollar deal for access to lithium deposits.

The US-led war on Iraq has resulted in over a million deaths, and created cancer rates in Fallujah worse than those recorded in the aftermath of the bombing of Hiroshima. The US alliance dropped an average of 46 bombs a day for 20 years, displacing around 37 million people. Meanwhile China has signed a contract to build 8,000 schools in Iraq, and the Iraqi government is finding that China offers much fairer terms in relation to oil purchases.

Western sanctions on Iran have had a terrible impact on living standards, on employment levels, on the ability of the country’s health system to import medicines, and more. China, in contrast, has agreed to invest 400 billion dollars in Iran over 25 years. Furthermore, China’s diplomatic activity is helping Iran to undo some of the work the US has been doing for decades to isolate it. The rapprochement with Saudi Arabia, facilitated by China, brings about the possibility of peace in Yemen – the greatest humanitarian crisis of our time.

The Iran-Saudi rapprochement is an important boon for the Palestinian people, as is China’s increasing involvement in trying to bring about a lasting and fair solution to the Palestine question. Lowkey assessed that “China’s policies are directly having an effect on the ability of Palestinians to defend themselves from Israeli violence.”

The video of the speech is embedded below.

China firmly supports the just cause of the Palestinian people

President Mahmoud Abbas of the State of Palestine paid his fifth state visit to the People’s Republic of China, at the invitation of President Xi Jinping, between June 13-16, 2023, becoming the first Arab head of state to visit China this year.

China is one of the earliest and most consistent supporters of the Palestinian people’s just struggle for their national rights and an independent state. This year sees the 35th anniversary of the formal establishment of relations between China and Palestine at state level. However, the mission of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) to China was accorded diplomatic status right from when it was first established in Beijing in 1965.

Meeting President Abbas on June 14, President Xi Jinping said China and Palestine are good friends and good partners who trust and support each other. China has all along firmly supported the Palestinian people’s just cause of restoring their legitimate national rights and worked for a comprehensive, just and durable solution of the Palestinian question at an early date.

China supports Palestine in becoming a full member state of the United Nations, will continue to speak up for Palestine and champion justice on multilateral occasions, and will provide assistance as best as it can to help ease humanitarian difficulties and promote reconstruction in Palestine, Xi added.

The Chinese president put forward a three-point proposal for the settlement of the Palestinian question, stressing that the Palestinian question has remained unresolved for over half a century, causing great sufferings to the Palestinian people; justice must be done to Palestine as soon as possible.

First, the fundamental solution lies in the establishment of an independent state of Palestine that enjoys full sovereignty on the basis of the 1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as its capital, he said.

Second, Palestine’s economic and livelihood needs should be met, and the international community needs to step up development assistance and humanitarian aid to Palestine.

Third, it is important to keep to the right direction of peace talks. The historical status quo of the holy sites in Jerusalem should be respected. A large-scale, more authoritative, and more influential international peace conference should be convened, so as to create conditions for the resumption of peace talks and contribute tangible efforts to help Palestine and Israel live in peace.

Xi added that: “China stands ready to play a positive role to assist Palestine in achieving internal reconciliation.”

On behalf of the Palestinian people, Abbas thanked China for its long-term strong support and selfless assistance for the Palestinian people’s just cause of restoring their legitimate national rights, calling China a trustworthy friend and partner.

Abbas added that Palestine supports China’s position on issues concerning its core interests and follows the one-China principle, adding that Palestine will work with China to promote the Belt and Road Initiative, strengthen bilateral cooperation, and build a community with a shared future for humanity.

Following these talks, a joint statement was released, announcing the establishment of a strategic partnership between China and Palestine. According to the statement, the two heads of state, spoke highly of the traditional friendship between China and Palestine, and agreed that they have always trusted and supported each other, and are truly good friends, good partners, and good brothers.

The two sides will continue to firmly support each other on issues involving each other’s core interests and major concerns. Palestine firmly adheres to the one-China principle, supports China in safeguarding national sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity, and resolutely opposes interference by any forces in China’s internal affairs.

China firmly supports the just cause of the Palestinian people to restore their legitimate national rights, stands together with the Palestinian people and makes unremitting efforts to promote an early, comprehensive, just, and lasting settlement of the question of Palestine. China firmly supports the establishment of a fully sovereign and independent Palestinian State based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital; supports the preservation of the historical status quo of the religious holy sites in Jerusalem; supports Palestine becoming a full member of the United Nations; supports the strengthening of Palestinian internal unity; and the resumption of peace talks between Palestine and Israel.

The two sides support the promotion of the common values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom for all humanity, respect the independent choice of democratic development path and social and political system suited to their national conditions, resolutely oppose the politicization and instrumentalization of human rights issues, and resolutely oppose any country’s interference in the internal affairs of other countries under the pretext of democracy and human rights.

President Abbas also met with Premier Li Qiang and Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC).

Meanwhile Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang met with Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Al-Maliki, who was accompanying his president. Qin Gang noted that the fact that Abbas is the first Arab leader to visit China this year speaks volumes about the special friendship between the two countries and China’s support for the just cause of Palestine.

Al-Maliki said China is a trustworthy, reliable friend, and Palestine appreciates the proposals put forward by China’s head of state for resolving the Palestinian question.

Shortly before the visit, in an interview with Xinhua, Abbas Zaki, a Central Committee member of Fatah and its Commissioner for Relations with Arab Countries and China, said China and Palestine are “friends closer than brothers.” Fatah is a major Palestinian political party that is also led by President Abbas.

Speaking of the first China-Arab States Summit held late last year, Zaki said it was a milestone in the history of China-Arab relations and would guide the direction for developing them in the new era.

“I am very pleased to see that China has been more involved in Middle East affairs after the China-Arab States Summit last year,” he said, noting that the resumption of diplomatic ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia resulted from the China-proposed Global Security Initiative.

He added that the rapprochement signalled a change in the political landscape in the Middle East and raised awareness of unity and independence among regional countries.

Zaki said Western countries, led by the United States, have destabilized the region. “Iraq, Libya and Syria were destroyed by them, and Sudan is now facing fragmentation.”

The following articles were originally published on the websites of the Xinhua News Agency and People’s Daily. The text of the joint statement was machine translated from Chinese and lightly edited by us.

Chinese, Palestinian presidents hold talks

Xinhua, 14 June 2023

Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Beijing on Wednesday.

The two leaders announced the establishment of a strategic partnership between China and Palestine.

Xi said China and Palestine are good friends and good partners who trust and support each other. He said China was one of the first countries to recognize the Palestine Liberation Organization and the State of Palestine.

Ramzy Baroud: China remains committed to its principled stance on Palestine

In this article for MintPress News, Palestinian journalist and author Ramzy Baroud analyzes China’s approach to the Palestine question, noting that while China has always based its position on international law and has always stood up for Palestinian national rights, it has been notably more forthright in recent months. Baroud reports that China’s United Nations Ambassador, Geng Shuang, made strong comments recently about the need for a “comprehensive and just solution” based on ending Israel’s provocations, and called on Tel Aviv to “immediately halt” the “illegal expansion of settlements.” Geng also brought up the plight of the Palestinian refugees – a subject that Israel and its allies in the West would very much prefer went unmentioned.

Baroud concludes that China has (correctly) identified US intransigence as the number one reason for the lack of progress in developing a just solution to the Palestine question. Meanwhile, given China’s blossoming relation with the Arab world, “the more Palestine takes center stage in Arab political discourse, the greater emphasis the issue receives in China’s foreign policy agenda.”

With Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arriving in Beijing today (13 June 2023), there is a good opportunity for China to lend its assistance to the project of building a just and lasting peace in the region.

Remarks by China’s United Nations Ambassador, Geng Shuang, on the situation in Occupied Palestine on May 24 were impeccable in terms of their consistency with international law.

Compared to the United States’ position, which perceives the UN, and particularly the Security Council, as a battleground to defend Israeli interests, the Chinese political discourse reflects a legal stance based on a deep understanding of the realities on the ground.

Articulating the Chinese thinking during a UNSC ‘Briefing on the Situation in the Middle East, including the Palestine Question,’ Geng did not mince his words. He spoke forcefully about the “irreplaceable” need for a “comprehensive and just solution” that is based on ending Israel’s “provocations” in Jerusalem and the respect for the right of “Muslim worshipers” as well as the “custodianship of Jordan” in the city’s holy sites.

China and Palestine always trust and support each other

A delegation from Palestine’s Fatah party, led by Ali Mashal, the party’s Assistant Commissioner of Arab and Chinese Relations, recently visited China and met with Zhu Rui, Assistant Minister of the Communist Party of China’s International Department (IDCPC), in Beijing on June 2nd.

Zhu said China and Palestine have always been trusting and supporting each other. The CPC attaches great importance to the friendly relations with the Fatah party, and is willing to further strengthen exchanges and cooperation between the two parties and work for greater achievements in the development of China-Palestine relations.

Mashal said the Palestine-China relationship was forged by leaders of the elder generation of Palestine and China, and President Abbas and the Palestinian people will stand together with the Chinese people as always. Fatah, he said, is expecting China to play a greater role in the settlement of the Palestinian question, adding that, Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in the New Era and the Chinese path to modernisation serve as a model for countries in the world to independently explore their own development paths suited to their national conditions.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will pay a state visit to China, June 13-16, as the first Arab head of state to visit the country this year.

The below article was originally published on the IDCPC website.

Zhu Rui, Assistant-minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, met here today with a delegation of the Fatah Party of Palestine led by Ali Mashal, Assistant Commissioner of Arab and Chinese Relations of the Fatah Party.

Zhu said, China and Palestine have always been trusting and supporting each other. Ever since the beginning of the new era, President Xi Jinping and President of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas have reached consensus on multiple issues, charting the course for the development of bilateral relations. The Chinese side is thankful for the valuable support from the Palestinian side on issues concerning China’s core interests, and will continue to firmly support the just cause of the Palestinian people. The CPC attaches great importance to the friendly relations with the Fatah Party, and is willing to further strengthen exchanges and cooperation between the two Parties and work for greater achievements in the development of China-Palestine relations. Zhu also gave a briefing on the thematic education campaign on learning and implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in the New Era.

Mashal said, the Palestine-China relationship was forged by leaders of the elder generation of Palestine and China, and President Abbas and the Palestinian people will stand together with the Chinese people as always. The Fatah Party is willing to join hands with the CPC to promote the in-depth development of the relations between the two Parties and the two countries, and is expecting China to play a greater role in the settlement of the Palestinian question. He noted that it is because of the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in the New Era that the CPC is able to lead the Chinese people to win one victory after another. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in the New Era and the Chinese path to modernization serve as a model for countries in the world to independently explore their own development paths suited to their national conditions.

Fariz Mehdawi, Palestinian Ambassador to China, was present.