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Tunnel Warfare – From China and Vietnam to the Gaza Strip

A specific military art of tunnel warfare, as a distinct component of people’s war, was developed by the Chinese communists in the 1930s during the war to resist Japanese aggression. It was subsequently utilised by the Korean and Vietnamese peoples in their wars against US imperialist aggression and is now playing an important part in the Arab resistance to Zionism and imperialism in Palestine, Lebanon and Yemen.

In a recent article written for The Palestine Chronicle, Enrico Di Gregorio, a Brazilian journalist who currently writes for A Nova Democracia, explains:

“More than 80 years after the Chinese communists began building tunnels to resist the Japanese invasion of their country, this tactic of the people’s war, derived from a broader military theory, is still current and developing.

“On July 16, the Lebanese resistance group Hezbollah released a video about an underground military base with impressive capabilities: in the footage, fighters circulate on foot, on motorcycles and in trucks fuelled with rockets, through carefully dug tunnels… Elsewhere on the same base, soldiers work and are treated in a field hospital and provided with supplies that will allow them to survive for a year underground, according to the Al-Mayadeen news outlet.”

The 1965 Chinese film, ‘Tunnel Warfare’, “portrays the different tricks invented by the masses in the tunnels, such as a system that captured the water sent by the Japanese in flood attempts and redirected it to the villages, to reuse it for basic day-to-day operations.

“Experts point out that there is a relationship of influence between the tactics used in Asia and those employed by the Arab peoples. ‘Tunnels have been used for thousands of years, but the Vietnamese and Chinese have used them particularly successfully. There are several direct references to these experiences in Fatah and PFLP [Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine] materials,’ argues researcher Alberto García Molinero, from the University of Granada.”

Referring to the developments in the Palestinian revolution in the 1960s, Molinero adds: “The success of the guerrilla struggle strategy was very much inspired by China and Vietnam. Both Asian countries were a major global inspiration for the world’s revolutionaries, much more so than the Soviet Union. This was due to various factors, including the essence of Maoism. Both Mao, with his concept of people’s war, and the Vietnamese demonstrated that it was possible to defeat an infinitely superior enemy, such as imperialism, as long as you mobilise the people for the cause.”

Tunnels began to be built in Gaza in the 1980s and later by Hezbollah in Lebanon and by the Ansarallah movement (more commonly known as the Houthis) in Yemen.

“Today, there is no denying that tunnels play a fundamental role in the anti-imperialist war waged by the various Arab organisations. The scale that these structures have reached is impressive: in 2016, the former head of Hamas’ Political Bureau, Ismail Haniyeh (assassinated by Israel in July 2024), said that the tunnel network in Gaza is twice the size of the Cu Chi tunnels [which had around 250 kilometres of interconnected passages interspersed with small chambers used as classrooms and outpatient clinics and entrances and exits scattered throughout the rainforest.]”

Di Gregiorio concludes: “The anti-imperialist struggle in the Middle East has shown, more than any other revolutionary experience in the 21st century to date, the incredible relevance of the armed struggle and military doctrine developed in China and applied, even partially, by the Arab peoples.”

We reprint the article below.

More than 80 years after the Chinese communists began building tunnels to resist the Japanese invasion of their country, this tactic of the people’s war, derived from a broader military theory, is still current and developing.

On July 16, the Lebanese resistance group Hezbollah released a video about an underground military base with impressive capabilities: in the footage, fighters circulate on foot, on motorcycles and in trucks fueled with rockets, through carefully dug tunnels.

In large chambers, combatants plan day-to-day military operations, while others drive several trucks to gates that, when opened, allow missiles to be fired directly at Israeli territory.

Elsewhere on the same base, soldiers work and are treated in a field hospital and provided with supplies that will allow them to survive for a year underground, according to the Al-Mayadeen news outlet.

Everything takes place in secret. High-tech equipment guarantees absolute encryption of the information, which is transmitted in a combination of speed and clandestinity.

The video shows the remarkable development of tunnel warfare by oppressed peoples, particularly the Arabs, some 50 years after experiences such as the Vietnam War (1955-1975) – one of those conflicts responsible for making this guerrilla tactic famous throughout the world.

The Beijing Declaration is a key step to resolve the Palestinian question

In the following article, which was originally contributed to Al Jazeera, China’s Ambassador to Qatar, Cao Xiaolin explains the significance of the July meeting in Beijing of Palestine’s 14 main resistance movements.

According to Cao: “The important consensus from the Beijing talks is to achieve reconciliation and unity among the 14 factions. The core outcome is the affirmation of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) as the sole legitimate representative of all Palestinian people. The biggest highlight is the agreement on establishing an interim government of national reconciliation focusing on the post-conflict reconstruction of Gaza. The strongest call is for establishing an independent State of Palestine in accordance with relevant United Nations resolutions.”

In contrast to those who either see the Beijing meeting and its resultant declaration as a panacea or those who dismiss it as of little consequence, the Ambassador highlights the need to make “incremental progress”, noting: “Only by making continuous efforts to build consensus and put it into practice can the reconciliation process yield more and more substantive progress and greater unity. On the path towards reconciliation, China shares the same direction and destination with Arab and Islamic countries.”

He adds that: “China and many of the Middle Eastern countries are bound by similar memories of the devastation wrought by imperialism and colonialism, and share a kindred pursuit of national liberation, independence and self-reliance… China has no selfish interests in the Palestinian question. It was among the first countries to recognise the PLO and the State of Palestine, and all along has firmly supported the Palestinian people in restoring their legitimate national rights.”

The Palestinian question is at the core of the Middle East issue. Over the past years, China has put forward proposals and taken action to address the Palestinian question with Chinese wisdom and solutions.

At China’s invitation, senior representatives of 14 Palestinian factions engaged in dialogue in Beijing in July and signed the Beijing Declaration on Ending Division and Strengthening Palestinian National Unity. The Beijing Dialogue was the most inclusive and in-depth reconciliation talks of 14 political factions to date.

The important consensus from the Beijing talks is to achieve reconciliation and unity among the 14 factions. The core outcome is the affirmation of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) as the sole legitimate representative of all Palestinian people. The biggest highlight is the agreement on establishing an interim government of national reconciliation focusing on the post-conflict reconstruction of Gaza. The strongest call is for establishing an independent State of Palestine in accordance with relevant United Nations resolutions.

Mousa Abu Marzouk, head of the Hamas delegation to the Beijing Dialogue, declared Hamas’s readiness to implement the Beijing Declaration, strengthen unity among factions and advance the reconciliation process to achieve Palestinian national unity. Mahmoud al-Aloul, deputy chief of the Fatah movement, said China is a light and its efforts to promote reconciliation among Palestinian factions are rare on the international stage. European Union Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process Sven Koopmans stressed it is a remarkable achievement and fully demonstrates China’s positive and constructive role in the Middle East peace process.

The key to the Palestinian reconciliation process is to bolster confidence, keep in the right direction, and make incremental progress. Only by making continuous efforts to build consensus and put it into practice can the reconciliation process yield more and more substantive progress and greater unity. On the path towards reconciliation, China shares the same direction and destination with Arab and Islamic countries.

At present, the Gaza conflict is dragging on and its spillovers continue to spread, as multiple regional conflicts are interconnected. To help get out of the current conflict and predicament, China proposes a three-step initiative.

The first step is to achieve a comprehensive, lasting and sustainable ceasefire in the Gaza Strip as soon as possible, and ensure access to humanitarian aid and rescue on the ground. The international community should build more synergy for ending the hostilities and establishing a ceasefire.

The second step is to make joint efforts towards post-conflict governance of Gaza under the principle of “Palestinians governing Palestine”. Gaza is an inseparable, integral part of Palestine. Restarting post-conflict reconstruction as soon as possible is an urgent priority. The international community needs to support Palestinian factions in establishing an interim national consensus government and realising the effective management of Gaza and the West Bank.

The third step is to help Palestine become a full member state of the UN and get down to implementing the two-state solution. It is important to support the convening of a broad-based, more authoritative, and more effective international peace conference to work out a timetable and road map for the two-state solution.

The three-step initiative lays out a detailed and feasible plan for peacefully resolving the Palestinian question, contributing to building consensus among all stakeholders and guiding the Palestinian question back on the right track of a political solution.

China and many of the Middle Eastern countries are bound by similar memories of the devastation wrought by imperialism and colonialism, and share a kindred pursuit of national liberation, independence and self-reliance. China has never engaged in geopolitical confrontation or seeking proxies in the Middle East, nor does it intend to draw spheres of influence to fill the so-called power vacuum in the region.

China has no selfish interests in the Palestinian question. It was among the first countries to recognise the PLO and the State of Palestine, and all along has firmly supported the Palestinian people in restoring their legitimate national rights.

There is no simple solution to the Palestinian question, and peace cannot be achieved overnight. The intra-Palestinian reconciliation will bring hope and a future to the Palestinian people. It is an important step towards resolving the Palestinian question and achieving stability in the Middle East.

China firmly supports the Palestinian people in restoring their legitimate national rights and supports the people of Middle Eastern countries in holding their future in their own hands. China looks forward to the day when Palestinian factions achieve internal reconciliation and, on that basis, realise national unity and independent statehood as early as possible. China will continue to work relentlessly to this end, making more contributions to promoting peace and prosperity in the region.

China strongly condemns Israeli operations and settlement expansion in the West Bank

In its latest statement at the United Nations Security Council on the question of Palestine, China has drawn serious attention to the situation on the occupied West Bank, where Israel is increasingly replicating the openly genocidal measures it has employed in the Gaza Strip for the last nearly one year.

Speaking at a UN Security Council briefing on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question, on August 29, Ambassador Geng Shuang first referred to the situation in Gaza, where, in the past month alone, “Israel issued 16 emergency evacuation orders. Schools and refugee camps that sheltered a large number of people were targeted in attacks. Hundreds of thousands of people were forced to flee time and again, unable to find a safe place of living,” and where the polio virus seriously threatens the health of children,

He continued: “In the West Bank, Israel continues to violate international law and Council resolutions, its settlements continue to grow, and it ramps up searches, arrests, and raids against Palestinians. Since last October, over 620 Palestinians have lost their lives. Yesterday, the Israeli military launched a large-scale military operation targeting Tulkarm, Jenin, and Tubas, among others in the West Bank, which resulted in at least 10 deaths and many injuries. China strongly condemns this. Senior Israeli officials in the government recently spoke of using the same approach in the West Bank as they have employed in operations in Gaza. We are shocked and seriously concerned by such extreme remarks that risk global condemnation. Gaza has now turned into hell on earth. We must never allow the same humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza to happen in the West Bank, which will turn the West Bank into another hell on earth.”

We reprint below the full text of Ambassador Geng Shuang’s remarks. It was originally published on the website of China Permanent Mission to the UN.

Remarks by Ambassador Geng Shuang at the UN Security Council Briefing on the Situation in the Middle East, Including the Palestinian Question

President,

I thank Switzerland and the UK for requesting this meeting, and thank Assistant Secretary-General Joyce Msuya and Deputy Director-General Mike Ryan for their briefings.

Over 10 months have passed since the outbreak of the conflict in Gaza, which has led to the death of over 40,000 civilians and an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe. Despite the repeated calls by the international community for an end to the fighting, the multiple resolutions adopted by the Security Council in this regard, and provisional measures ordered by the ICJ, the situation has not seen any improvement. Rather, it continues to worsen.

In the past month alone, the conflict has consumed the lives of over 1,000 people in Gaza. Israel issued 16 emergency evacuation orders. Schools and refugee camps that sheltered a large number of people were targeted in attacks. Hundreds of thousands of people were forced to flee time and again, unable to find a safe place of living. Israel continued to further suppress and restrict the UN and other humanitarian organizations, frequently rejecting deliveries of supplies such as fuel. Recently, humanitarian agencies were compelled to evacuate from their centers and warehouses in Deir al-Balah, further causing serious damage to the humanitarian system in Gaza.

The polio virus seriously threatens the health of children in Gaza. Vaccination is the most effective way to stem the spread of the virus and ensure the safety of children. Virus knows no borders. China supports the appeal by Secretary-General Guterres and urges Israel, in a responsible manner towards its own children and those of the region, to provide security guarantee and facilitation to the vaccination work. We support the Council in making a strong appeal to this end to avoid further worsening of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

In the West Bank, Israel continues to violate international law and Council resolutions, its settlements continue to grow, and it ramps up searches, arrests, and raids against Palestinians. Since last October, over 620 Palestinians have lost their lives. Yesterday, the Israeli military launched a large scale military operation targeting Tulkarm, Jenin, and Tubas, among others in the West Bank, which resulted in at least 10 deaths and many injuries. China strongly condemns this. Senior Israeli officials in the government recently spoke of using the same approach in the West Bank as they have employed in operations in Gaza. We are shocked and seriously concerned by such extreme remarks that risk global condemnation. Gaza has now turned into hell on earth. We must never allow the same humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza to happen in the West Bank, which will turn the West Bank into another hell on earth. China opposes any rhetoric or action that fuels tensions, condemns all attacks on civilians, and calls on all the parties concerned, Israel in particular, to remain calm and exercise restraint and prevent further escalation of the situation.

President,

The priority now is to fully implement the four Council resolutions on the situation in Gaza, promote an immediate and durable ceasefire, and effectively ease the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. Ceasefire negotiations cannot be indefinitely delayed, still less should they be used as an excuse to continue committing atrocities in Gaza and the West Bank in violation of international law. China urges Israel to immediately stop all military operations in Gaza, open all border crossings, stop its suppressing and restriction of the UN and other humanitarian organizations, stop its attacks on the West Bank, curb settler violence and impunity. Countries with significant influence on the parties concerned should demonstrate a sincere and responsible approach and take practical actions to promote the realization of a ceasefire. We support further actions by the Council to promote the implementation of relevant resolutions, bring an early end to the fighting, and ease the humanitarian catastrophe.

Thank you, President.

China urges Israel to immediately cease all military operations in Gaza

China has again made a powerful call at the United Nations for an end to Israel’s genocidal war against the Palestinian people in Gaza, and increasingly the West Bank, too, as well as drawing attention to the United States’ culpability for the ongoing human tragedy.

Speaking at the UN Security Council Briefing on the Situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question, on August 22, Ambassador Fu Cong began his remarks by stating:

“Gaza has been subjected to more than 10 months of blockade, siege, bombing, and attacks that have killed more than 40,000 people and displaced 1.9 million. 80% of homes in the Gaza Strip have been destroyed, and 85% of the area is under emergency evacuation orders imposed by the Israeli military. In the West Bank, nearly 600 Palestinians have been killed since last October. Such a tragedy cannot go on any longer.”

Noting the steadily mounting calls for a ceasefire, he continued: “However, we have seen that Israel has turned a deaf ear to them and has not shown any sign of a ceasefire. More than two months after the adoption of Security Council Resolution 2735, the Israeli military operations in Gaza continue causing new casualties every day.”

Making unmistakable reference to the United States, in particular, he added:

“We urge countries with significant influence to demonstrate a sincere, impartial, and responsible attitude in pushing Israel to cease its military operations in Gaza as soon as possible and to stop the killing of civilians. China supports the Council in taking further necessary actions to promote the implementation of the relevant resolutions and achieve a ceasefire in Gaza.”

The following is the full text of Ambassador Fu’s remarks. They were originally published on the website of China’s Permanent Mission to the UN.

Remarks by Ambassador Fu Cong at the UN Security Council Briefing on the Situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question

President,

I thank Special Coordinator Tor Wennesland and Ms. Louisa Baxter for their briefings.

Gaza has been subjected to more than 10 months of blockade, siege, bombing, and attacks that have killed more than 40,000 people and displaced 1.9 million. 80% of homes in the Gaza Strip have been destroyed, and 85% of the area is under emergency evacuation orders imposed by the Israeli military. In the West Bank, nearly 600 Palestinians have been killed since last October. Such a tragedy cannot go on any longer.

The international community has repeatedly sent clear calls for a ceasefire and an end to the fighting. And the General Assembly, the Security Council, and the International Court of Justice have all made clear demands. However, we have seen that Israel has turned a deaf ear to them and has not shown any sign of a ceasefire. More than two months after the adoption of Security Council Resolution 2735, the Israeli military operations in Gaza continue causing new casualties every day. At the same time, the repeated provocative and adventurous actions by the Israeli side have intensified the risk of conflict spillovers. The Middle East is hanging by a thread.

It must be noted that blind faith in achieving a total victory in Gaza will only result in more innocent civilian casualties and will not create the conditions for the release of hostages, nor will it bring peace or tranquility to Israel and the region. Ceasefire negotiations and a political solution are the fundamental way out.

It must be noted that humanitarian issues cannot be politicized, hunger cannot be weaponized, and civilian lives cannot be trivialized as bargaining chips. Israel must fulfill its obligations under international humanitarian law by opening all border crossings, guaranteeing rapid and safe access to humanitarian supplies at scale, ceasing restrictions and attacks on the United Nations and humanitarian agencies, and providing support and cooperation for the polio vaccination program in Gaza.

It must be noted that sustainable security can only be achieved by upholding the concept of common security. Regional peace must be built with the responsible participation of all parties. Achieving an independent Palestinian state and implementation of the two-State solution is the only viable way forward for the political settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli question.

China urges Israel to immediately cease all military operations in Gaza, to immediately stop its actions that stoke escalation of the situation in the region, and to end immediately placing obstacles to a ceasefire in Gaza. We urge countries with significant influence to demonstrate a sincere, impartial, and responsible attitude in pushing Israel to cease its military operations in Gaza as soon as possible and to stop the killing of civilians. China supports the Council in taking further necessary actions to promote the implementation of the relevant resolutions and achieve a ceasefire in Gaza.

China stands ready to work with the international community to make unremitting efforts to end the war in Gaza at an early date, alleviate the humanitarian catastrophe, implement the two-State solution, and achieve lasting peace and security in the Middle East.

Thank you, President.

Why do sections of the Western left ignore China’s solidarity with Palestine?

The article below, written for China Square, details China’s historic and current support for the national rights of the Palestinian people, and seeks to understand why elements of the Western left overlook this solidarity.

The article tallies “Beijing’s diplomatic tour de force uniting the 14 largest Palestinian resistance organisations around a declaration and programme of internal reconciliation”; China’s proposals for a ceasefire; its longstanding recognition of the State of Palestine; its recent contribution to the International Court of Justice recognising Palestinians’ right to armed resistance to occupation; and its insistence that governance of Palestine is a matter for the Palestinians themselves.

The article urges people in Palestine solidarity movements in the West to recognise China’s contributions, as opposed to “letting the US and EU elites deprive them of an important ally” and rendering themselves “more vulnerable to the propaganda designed to normalise the next round of horrendous wars driven by Washington, London and NATO, wars that seem to be inescapably coming our way in the Pacific region”.

This article has been translated into English by the author, Friends of Socialist China advisory group member Dirk Nimmegeers.

The fact that some elements of the Western left ignore Chinese solidarity with Palestine may indicate shortcomings in pro-Palestinian movements.

The analysis and statements in debates and meetings on Gaza are generally of good quality. Most panellists belong to organisations (or contribute to media outlets) that courageously go against the tide. Speakers dispel doubts around the term genocide, and convincingly argue that what is happening in Gaza is not “deplorable Israeli disproportionality”, but rather, planned and systematic expulsion. They express anger at the culpability of continued Western support and hypocrisy.

Blind spot

It is therefore disappointing that in debates on both the threat of war in general and on Palestine, there is a deafening silence about China and its principles, positions, proposals and actions. For example, in debates in Belgium this summer, there was a very brief mention of Beijing’s diplomatic tour de force uniting the 14 largest Palestinian resistance organisations around a declaration and programme of internal reconciliation. During a debate on the threat of war, someone shouted from the audience “and what about China?”, and during an event on Palestine, the moderator asked whether the Beijing Declaration could offer any hope. The panel remained silent. One speaker merely stressed that “this had been tried so many times before”. The important step forward of bringing together Fatah, Hamas and 12 others seemed to be shrugged off. It was very clear that if someone else had not started talking about the Beijing Declaration, the panellists themselves would not have mentioned it.

In most Western campaigns against genocide and for a ceasefire in Gaza, China is ignored. It is striking how little is published about China’s peace propositions even in courageous progressive media. It is to be feared that this will continue for some time to come. One can legitimately ask why the leftist and progressive community remains silent on China or refuses to show solidarity with a country that is the target of a multifaceted Western offensive, even if the community is well aware of the risk of the current NATO onslaught turning into an unprecedented global conflict.

Neither Washington nor Beijing?

Here and there we hear the idea that “China simply does not think the Middle East is that important now, and that this might change if there is some advantage to be gained”. A variant of this is the idea that China is now only interfering in the region to gain influence or out of rivalry with the US. These caricatures of a self-interested, neo-colonial or neo-imperialist China are among the many fables that the US and the EU successfully spread through their powerful media; myths that all too often carry an undertone of Sinophobia. In European leftist circles, this leads to an attitude of “neither Washington nor Beijing”. This slogan may sound good to some, but where it ends up is de facto support for advancing NATO offensive and acting as junior partners in the rearguard of the US attack.

What is China actually doing?

Another and more innocuous reason why China is often left out of the picture when it comes to Palestine is that many do not think, or rather know, that China is sincerely and usefully working for the cause of the Palestinians in many ways. Nevertheless, it is doing so.

For example, it is correct and important that China has so far never condemned Hamas’s actions. The importance of this is that it gives other countries, especially in the Global South, the necessary courage and strength to stand up to the US and the EU (as with the anti-Russian sanctions). Another strong signal in that regard is the fact that China is treating Hamas as a serious and important interlocutor. In recent months there have been several contacts between representatives of that resistance movement and Chinese diplomats. Neither the US nor Israel could appreciate this. China’s attitude is more correct than that of Western activists who go on and on distancing themselves from Hamas and repeating that the action of 7 October was a war crime (something that is highly questionable, and about which interesting views were expressed during the recent debate in Belgium).

Beijing seldom or never sides with one of the warring parties in conflicts in the Global South. This is in stark contrast to a tried-and-tested tactic of the West. China’s negotiated peace and reconciliation line is applied by Beijing to internal conflicts in Third World countries, e.g. Palestine. And neither does China provide irresponsible, arbitrary and facile criticism of Fatah and the Palestinian Authority, which are still recognised by most countries as official representatives of the Palestinian state.

China supports Iran in safeguarding its sovereignty, security and national dignity

China has declared that it supports Iran in safeguarding its sovereignty, security and national dignity in accordance with the law, supports its efforts to safeguard regional peace and stability, and is willing to maintain close communication with the country.

This important statement came in an August 11 telephone conversation between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Acting Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani. It followed the assassination by Israel on July 31 in Tehran of Ismail Haniyeh, who chaired the Political Bureau of the Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas. Haniyeh was in the Iranian capital to attend the inauguration of President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Wang Yi reiterated that China firmly opposes and strongly condemns the assassination, believing that it gravely violates the basic norms governing international relations, seriously infringes on Iran’s sovereignty, security and dignity, directly undermines the Gaza ceasefire negotiation process, and shocks regional peace and stability.

China stands ready to work with the new Iranian government to continue to firmly support each other on issues concerning their respective core interests, steadily advance practical cooperation in various fields, unswervingly promote the sound development of bilateral relations, and constantly add new content to the China-Iran comprehensive strategic partnership.

Iran is welcome to actively participate in the events hosted by China as the rotating chair of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and China is also willing to strengthen cooperation with Iran within the framework of the BRICS mechanism, further increase the voice and influence of the Global South, and promote more just and reasonable development of international governance, Wang said.

Analysing the significance of the Chinese stance, the online publication, The Palestine Chronicle quoted its Chief Editor, Dr. Ramzy Baroud, as saying:

“The official Chinese position did not include such phrases as ‘using restraint’, or ‘avoiding further escalation’. In itself, this is very important.”

Baroud added, “also considering the guarded nature of Chinese foreign policy, it would not be expected that the Chinese openly declare that Iran has the right to attack Israel or Israeli interests as a form of retaliation for Israel’s infringement on its sovereignty through the assassination of the Palestinian leader.

“A careful reading of the statement of Foreign Minister Wang Yi, however, suggests that China is willing to accommodate, in fact, support an Iranian retaliation against Israel since such retaliation can be considered part of Iran’s ‘safeguarding its sovereignty, security and national dignity.’”

“This development”, Baroud continued, “indicates two things: One, that Iran is succeeding in garnering enough international support for its forthcoming response to the Israeli assassination of Haniyeh; two, that China is inching closer to the pro-resistance camp in the Middle East, a position that would surely frustrate Washington’s designs in the region.”

Earlier, on August 11, Wang Yi also held separate telephone talks with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi.

In his talk with his Egyptian counterpart, Wang said the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh has pushed the regional situation into a more dangerous height, adding that China resolutely opposes and strongly condemns such assassination acts that violate the basic principles of the UN Charter, infringe on Iran’s sovereignty and dignity, severely undermine efforts to promote peace, and make a ceasefire in Gaza increasingly unattainable, adding that that double standards should not be applied to the crisis in Gaza.

He also pointed out that China will continue to stand on the side of international justice, strengthen solidarity with Arab countries, and work with all parties to avoid further escalation and deterioration of the situation.

Speaking with Jordanian Foreign Minister Safadi, Wang pointed that the key to avoiding the deterioration and escalation of the situation is to achieve a full and permanent ceasefire in Gaza as soon as possible and the international community should raise a more consistent voice on this issue and form a joint force.

The following articles were originally published by the Xinhua News Agency.

Chinese FM holds phone talks with Iranian counterpart on bilateral ties, Mideast situation

BEIJING, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday held phone talks with Acting Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani at request, focusing on bilateral relations and the situation in the Middle East.

Noting that Iran is a country with important influence in the region and a comprehensive strategic partner of China, Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that China has always promoted its relations with Iran from a strategic and long-term perspective.

China strongly condemns “heinous” Israeli air strike on school in Gaza

China has once more spoken out at the United Nations against Israeli aggression and in support of justice for the Palestinians.

Speaking at a Security Council briefing called at the request of Algeria on August 13, Ambassador Fu Cong said that:

Israel’s air strike on the Tabeen school in Gaza last week claimed around 100 innocent civilian lives. China strongly condemns this attack. Civilians and the civilian infrastructure must not be the target of military operations. This is a red line under the international humanitarian law. Attacking schools where a large number of civilians are seeking shelter again and again is a heinous act. Over the past ten months, millions of people in Gaza have seen their homes destroyed and their loved ones separated. They have been forced to move from place to place in search of a corner of peace, only to be met with indiscriminate bombardment and deaths that could befall them at any moment. As we speak, nowhere is safe in Gaza.

Underlining once again the pressing need for an immediate and durable ceasefire, Fu noted: “Two months ago, when pushing for Security Council Resolution 2735, the US claimed that Israel had accepted a ceasefire agreement. But the reality is quite the opposite. Instead of credible signs of Israel’s commitment to a ceasefire, what we see is ever-expanding military operations and ever-increasing civilian casualties.”

Pointing out that the humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to worsen, with hunger and disease spreading rapidly, the Chinese Ambassador continued: “Recently, a high-ranking Israeli politician described it as just and moral to starve two million people in Gaza. Such appalling remarks are totally unacceptable.” He added that: “We are gravely concerned about the incidents of sexual abuse by Israeli soldiers against Palestinian detainees. We call for investigations and accountability.”

We print below the full text of Ambassador Fu Cong’s remarks. They were originally published on the website of China’s Permanent Mission to the UN.

President,

I thank Algeria for requesting this meeting, and thank Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo and Director Lisa Doughten for their briefings.

Israel’s air strike on the Tabeen school in Gaza last week claimed around 100 innocent civilian lives. China strongly condemns this attack. Civilians and the civilian infrastructure must not be the target of military operations. This is a red line under the international humanitarian law. Attacking schools where a large number of civilians are seeking shelter again and again is a heinous act. Over the past ten months, millions of people in Gaza have seen their homes destroyed and their loved ones separated. They have been forced to move from place to place in search of a corner of peace, only to be met with indiscriminate bombardment and deaths that could befall them at any moment. As we speak, nowhere is safe in Gaza. In Khan Yunis, a place once declared a so-called safe zone by Israel, people there have been forced to flee in the face of new bombing rains. The desperate people of Gaza want to know where is the end of the war and where is the hope for survival.

An immediate and durable ceasefire is what the people of Gaza yearn for. It is also the overwhelming consensus of the international community. Two months ago, when pushing for Security Council Resolution 2735, the US claimed that Israel had accepted a ceasefire agreement. But the reality is quite the opposite. Instead of credible signs of Israel’s commitment to a ceasefire, what we see is ever-expanding military operations and ever-increasing civilian casualties. The US, as the largest supplier of weapons, has enough influence over Israel. We hope that the US will take sincere and responsible actions to push Israel to stop its military operations in Gaza as soon as possible and to stop slaughtering civilians.

President,

The humanitarian disaster in Gaza has continued to worsen. Hunger and disease are spreading rapidly. Recently, a high ranking Israeli politician described it as just and moral to starve two million people in Gaza. Such appalling remarks are totally unacceptable. Hunger must not be weaponized. Humanitarian issues must not be politicized. Civilian lives must not be trivialized as bargaining chips. China urges Israel to fulfill its international humanitarian law obligations by opening all border crossings and guaranteeing rapid and safe access for humanitarian supplies at scale. The World Health Organization is conducting a polio vaccination program for children in Gaza, which is crucial for stemming the spread of infectious diseases and protecting children’s health. Israel is obliged to protect the safety and freedom of movement of the medical workers involved.

China a credible peace broker in Palestine

In the following article for Middle East Monitor, Ramzy Baroud, editor-in-chief of the Palestine Chronicle, discusses the historic signing of a unity agreement between 14 Palestinian political parties in Beijing and the implications it has for China’s role as a peacemaker in the Middle East.

Ramzy notes that China has long been a supporter of the Palestinian cause, and has been involved in various peace initiatives in the region, including its four-point proposal on the Palestine-Israel conflict, put forward by Foreign Minister Wang Yi in May 2021. This proposal was not immediately successful, but in the intervening period there have been two significant developments: first, “China’s success in ending a seven-year rift between Saudi Arabia and Iran re-introduced Beijing as a powerful new mediator”; and second, “US-dominated western diplomacy is breaking apart” and the US has lost all credibility as a mediator.

Meanwhile, China has been a loud and consistent voice in the international community condemning Israel’s onslaught on Gaza. China has proven itself to be “committed to the rights of the Palestinian people and their historic struggle for freedom and justice”.

China’s efforts towards a lasting peace and justice in the Middle East have been widely welcomed by regional states and by the Palestinian people themselves. “China is now officially a peace broker in Palestine and, for most Palestinians, a credible one at that”.

In the video embedded below the article, Ramzy discusses these issues in greater detail on the Palestine Deep Dive show.

Chinese diplomacy has done it again.

By hosting a historic signing of a unity agreement between 14 Palestinian political parties in Beijing on 23 July, China has, once more, shown its ability to play a global role as a peace broker.

For years, China has attempted to play a role in Middle East politics, particularly in the region’s most enduring crisis, the Israeli Occupation of Palestine.

In 2021, China announced its four-point plan, aimed at “comprehensively, fairly and permanently” resolving the Palestinian question.

Whether the plan itself was workable or not, it mattered little, as neither the Israeli government nor the Palestinian Authority were prepared to ditch Washington, which has dominated Middle East diplomacy for decades.

China strongly condemns murder of Ismail Haniyeh

China’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Fu Cong has reiterated his country’s firm opposition to and strong condemnation of the murder of Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of the Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas. Haniyeh and his bodyguard were murdered in a brazen act of Israeli aggression whilst they were in the Iranian capital Tehran to attend the inauguration of President Masoud Pezeshkian as state guests.

Fu was speaking at a July 31 emergency meeting of the UN Security Council (UNSC), called in response to Haniyeh’s murder, by the Russian Federation, which currently holds the rotating chair of the UNSC, and at the request of Algeria and China.

Denouncing the act as a blatant attempt to sabotage peace efforts and one of wantonly trampling on the fundamental UN Charter principle of respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states, Fu said China is deeply worried about an exacerbation of the upheaval in the region that this incident may trigger.

He further noted that: “We strongly object to and condemn the recent irresponsible acts, including Israel’s attack on Southern Beirut [in which Israel murdered Fuad Shukr, a senior commander of the Hezbollah resistance movement].”

The continued deterioration of the Middle East situation is directly attributable to the continuous failure to implement a ceasefire in Gaza, he noted, adding:

“We urge Israel to implement council resolutions in full, immediately halt all its military operations in Gaza, and immediately stop its collective punishment of the people in Gaza.”

Earlier, at the regular Foreign Ministry press conference in Beijing, spokesperson Lin Jian had also condemned the murder of Haniyeh.

A summary of the debate posted on the UN website summarises a number of the contributions to the meeting, including those of the UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Algeria, Iran, Palestine, Syria and Lebanon, as well as the United States and Israel, but not those of several others, including China, Russia and Guyana, as well as Britain and South Korea.

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

UNITED NATIONS, July 31 (Xinhua) — A Chinese envoy on Wednesday called on the parties concerned to take tangible actions to push for deescalation and the restoration of peace and tranquility in the Middle East region.

China firmly opposes and strongly condemns the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh that took place in Iran’s capital Tehran, said Fu Cong, China’s permanent representative to the United Nations, in remarks at the UN Security Council briefing on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

Denouncing the act as a blatant attempt to sabotage peace efforts and wantonly trampled on the fundamental UN Charter principle of respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states, Fu said China is deeply worried about an exacerbation of the upheaval in the region that this incident may trigger.

He expressed disappointment over the ceasefire negotiations. “Over two months ago, the council adopted Resolution 2735. As of now, however, ceasefire negotiations have yet to yield any progress, while the spillover effects of this conflict are increasingly visible, with the tensions between Lebanon and Israel, between Syria and Israel, and in the Red Sea sounding the alarm frequently.”

“The Middle East situation is hanging by a thread, much to the concern of the international community,” he warned,

“Given the severity of the situation, the parties concerned must heed the international calls for a ceasefire and cessation of fighting,” said the ambassador, urging the parties to implement Security Council resolutions fully, actively coordinate with and support international good offices, and take tangible actions to push for deescalation and the restoration of peace and tranquility in the region.

“They must not act singlemindedly and repeatedly take provocative or risky actions to stoke escalations,” he said. “We strongly object to and condemn the recent irresponsible acts, including Israel’s attack on Southern Beirut.”

Emphasizing that “military means and abuse of force offer no solution and will only lead to a bigger crisis,” Fu said the continued deterioration of the Middle East situation is directly attributable to the continuous failure to implement a ceasefire in Gaza.

He called on all parties to comply with the overwhelming international consensus and work jointly for an immediate ceasefire to save lives, mitigate the impact of the havoc, and contain any spillovers. “We urge Israel to implement council resolutions in full, immediately halt all its military operations in Gaza, and immediately stop its collective punishment of the people in Gaza.”

Fu also urged countries with major influence to put more pressure and work more vigorously on the parties concerned and make tangible good-faith efforts to put out the flames of war in Gaza.

China champions peace in Middle East through concrete actions

Following the July 23 signing of the Beijing Declaration on Ending Division and Strengthening Palestinian National Unity by 14 Palestinian resistance movements, the Xinhua News Agency released a commentary on July 26, affirming that China champions peace in the region through concrete actions.

According to correspondent Zhao Wencai: “As witnessed by their Chinese friends, once-bitter rivals among the Palestinians, notably Hamas and Fatah, have decided to bury the hatchet and join forces.”

He goes on to note that during the reconciliation talks, Mustafa Barghouti, Secretary-General of the Palestinian National Initiative, was asked why different factions could resolve their differences in Beijing.

“After thinking for a while, he replied, ‘Because China is decent and honest and wants to help us without interfering in our internal affairs, (and) to support our struggle by enhancing Palestinian unity and enabling Palestinians to achieve what they deserve, which is their freedom, their independence, their rights to sovereignty.'”

The current war in Gaza has, the commentary notes, highlighted for Palestinians the detrimental impact of internal divisions on their goal of establishing a state. There is a growing recognition that a unified voice will amplify their calls for justice, and only by standing together can they advance their cause for national liberation.

“China’s drive for an early, comprehensive, just and lasting resolution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict stems not from self-serving geopolitical motives, but from a profound empathy for the Palestinian people and an earnest aspiration for peace and prosperity in the Middle East.

“Unlike some Western countries that have often overlooked the suffering in Gaza, China’s historical experience with Western interference has given its people a unique perspective on the hardships faced by those in the Middle East, who long for peace and stability amidst the turmoil of war.”

Meanwhile, in his weekly blog, published on belfastmedia.com, former Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams has welcomed the Beijing agreement. He writes: “In a very welcome move Hamas and Fatah and 12 other Palestinian groups signed a ‘national unity’ agreement in Beijing aimed at maintaining Palestinian control over the Gaza Strip once Israel’s genocidal war on the besieged territory ends. The agreement calls for [an] ‘interim national reconciliation government’ to govern Gaza.

“Israel and its allies have sought to dictate the terms of any governance arrangement for the Gaza Strip in any post war situation, including Israel maintaining control of the territory. All of these have been predicated on limiting the democratic rights of the Palestinian people to choose their own representatives and government. This cannot be allowed. The Palestinian people have the right to self-determination.”

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

CAIRO, July 26 (Xinhua) — As the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in Gaza stretches into its 10th month, there was a bid for peace and unity from Beijing this week: Under China’s mediation, senior representatives from 14 Palestinian factions signed the Beijing Declaration on Ending Division and Strengthening Palestinian National Unity.

According to the declaration, the Palestinian factions have agreed to establish an interim national reconciliation government, carry out reconstruction in Gaza and prepare and hold a general election as soon as possible in keeping with the adopted election laws.

As witnessed by their Chinese friends, once-bitter rivals among the Palestinians, notably Hamas and Fatah, have decided to bury the hatchet and join forces. They are setting their sights on establishing an independent State of Palestine with Jerusalem as the capital, based on relevant United Nations (UN) resolutions and ensuring the integrity of Palestinian territory, including the West Bank, Jerusalem, and Gaza.

During the reconciliation talks, Mustafa Barghouti, secretary-general of the Palestinian National Initiative, was asked why different factions could resolve their differences in Beijing.

After thinking for a while, he replied, “Because China is decent and honest and wants to help us without interfering in our internal affairs, (and) to support our struggle by enhancing Palestinian unity and enabling Palestinians to achieve what they deserve, which is their freedom, their independence, their rights to sovereignty.”

Barghouti’s remarks offered a compelling elucidation of China’s sincerity and continual progress in assisting the Middle East in achieving peace.

The Palestinian question has always been the core issue in the Middle East, and achieving internal reconciliation within Palestine is an important step toward resolving the issue and achieving peace and stability in the region.

China has long been committed to promoting reconciliation within Palestine, a goal shared by other Arab nations including Egypt and Jordan.

However, efforts have previously stalled due to an unfavorable international environment, particularly interference from the United States.

The recent round of conflicts in Gaza has highlighted for Palestinians the detrimental impact of internal divisions on their goal of establishing a state. There is a growing recognition that a unified voice will amplify their calls for justice, and only by standing together can they advance their cause for national liberation. This has spurred a renewed desire for reconciliation among Palestinian factions.

Meanwhile, the international community has increasingly recognized that the establishment of a Palestinian state is the key to resolving the Palestinian question. Inspired by China’s successful mediation between Saudi Arabia and Iran, the world and the Palestinian leaders in particular are hopeful that China will play a significant role in addressing the thorny issue.

The most urgent task now is to achieve a comprehensive, lasting and sustainable ceasefire in the Gaza Strip as soon as possible, and ensure access to humanitarian aid and rescue on the ground. China has engaged in close communication and coordination with relevant parties since the outbreak of recent hostilities.

Deeply concerned about the humanitarian situation in Gaza, China has provided significant amounts of humanitarian aid through various channels. It has also actively facilitated the UN Security Council’s adoption of a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.

In the Position Paper of the People’s Republic of China on Resolving the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict released last November, China calls for Palestine’s full membership in the UN and a more authoritative and effective international peace conference to work out a timetable and road map for the two-state solution.

China’s drive for an early, comprehensive, just and lasting resolution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict stems not from self-serving geopolitical motives, but from a profound empathy for the Palestinian people and an earnest aspiration for peace and prosperity in the Middle East.

Unlike some Western countries that have often overlooked the suffering in Gaza, China’s historical experience with Western interference has given its people a unique perspective on the hardships faced by those in the Middle East, who long for peace and stability amidst the turmoil of war.

China’s efforts to promote peace in the region are underscored by its role in facilitating the reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran in 2023, ending seven years of diplomatic deadlock. The current Beijing Declaration further exemplifies China’s concrete steps to bridge regional divides and lay the foundation for a peaceful Middle East.

On their journey toward lasting peace and prosperity, all parties involved in the Middle East conflict will find in China a true advocate committed to peace and justice in the region.

Chinese FM meets head of Fatah delegation

Following the conclusion of talks in Beijing between representatives of 14 Palestinian resistance groups, which resulted in the signing of the Beijing Declaration on Ending Division and Strengthening Palestinian National Unity, on July 23, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with the head of the Fatah delegation Mahmoud al-Aloul.

Wang stressed that a top priority now is to proceed from the fundamental interests of all the Palestinian people, seize the opportunity and seek common ground while shelving differences, so that unity and reconciliation among the various factions could be realised.

Mahmoud al-Aloul, who is also deputy leader of Fatah, thanked China for its efforts to promote reconciliation among Palestinian factions and for its support and assistance to Palestine over the past decades, calling China a true friend and brother of the Palestinian people.

The following report was first published by the Xinhua News Agency.

BEIJING, July 24 (Xinhua) — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with the head of the Fatah delegation Mahmoud al-Aloul in Beijing on Tuesday.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, stressed that no matter how the international situation changes, China will always firmly support the just cause of the Palestinian people.

Noting that the conflict in Gaza has caused a huge humanitarian disaster, Wang said to resolve this historical injustice, the principle of “Palestinian-owned, Palestinian-led and Palestinian-ruled” must be upheld.

Wang said the top priority now is to proceed from the fundamental interests of all the Palestinian people, seize the opportunity and seek common ground while shelving differences, so that unity and reconciliation among the various factions could be realized, and they could form a unified position, define a common goal, and create necessary conditions for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, the realization of an independent state and the implementation of the two-state solution.

Mahmoud al-Aloul, also deputy chief of the Fatah Movement, thanked China for its efforts to promote reconciliation among Palestinian factions and its support and assistance to Palestine over the past decades, calling China a true friend and brother of the Palestinian people.

The Fatah Movement will do its utmost to promote reconciliation and unity among Palestinian factions and contribute to a thorough settlement of the Palestinian issue.

Palestinian factions sign Beijing Declaration on ending division and strengthening Palestinian national unity

Three days of intensive talks in the Chinese capital Beijing between 14 Palestinian resistance organisations culminated on July 23, 2024, with the signing of the Beijing Declaration on Ending Division and Strengthening Palestinian National Unity by the movements represented.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, attended the closing ceremony and witnessed the signing.

According to the website of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, in his remarks at the closing ceremony, Wang Yi noted that, 14 Palestinian factions are gathering in Beijing with the greater good of their nation in mind. This is an important historical moment in the Palestinian liberation cause. China commends the reconciliation efforts made by all the factions and congratulates them on the success of the Beijing dialogue and the signing of the Beijing Declaration.

Wang Yi pointed out that only when Palestinian factions speak as one can the voice of justice be loud and clear, and only when they join hands and march forward shoulder to shoulder can they succeed in their national liberation cause. The most important consensus from the Beijing talks is to achieve the reconciliation and unity among the 14 factions; the core outcome is the affirmation of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) as the sole legitimate representative of all Palestinian people; the biggest highlight is the agreement on establishing an interim government of national reconciliation focusing on the post-conflict reconstruction of Gaza; and the strongest call is for truly establishing an independent State of Palestine in accordance with relevant UN resolutions. The key to the Palestinian reconciliation process is to bolster confidence, keep to the right direction, and make incremental progress. Only by making continuous efforts to build consensus and put it into practice can the reconciliation process yield more and more substantive progress and greater unity. Reconciliation is the internal affair of Palestinian factions and cannot happen without international support. On the path toward reconciliation, China shares the same direction and destination with Arab and Islamic countries.

The Chinese Foreign Minister further noted that the Palestinian question is at the core of the Middle East issue. China never has any selfish interests on the Palestinian question. China was among the first countries to recognise the PLO and the State of Palestine. China all along firmly supports the Palestinian people in restoring their legitimate national rights. We value fairness and advocate for justice.

To help get out of the current conflict and predicament, China proposes a three-step initiative:

First is to achieve a comprehensive, lasting and sustainable ceasefire in the Gaza Strip as soon as possible, and ensure access to humanitarian aid and rescue on the ground.
Second is to make joint efforts toward post-conflict governance of Gaza under the principle of “Palestinians governing Palestine.”
Third is to help Palestine become a full member state of the UN and get down to implementing the two-State solution.

Wang Yi said that intra-Palestinian reconciliation will bring hope and a future to the Palestinian people. It is an important step toward resolving the Palestinian question and achieving peace and stability in the Middle East. Unwavering efforts must be continually made in this direction. China sincerely hopes that Palestinian factions will achieve reconciliation and, on that basis, realise independent statehood at an early date.

Head of the Fatah delegation Mahmoud al-Aloul and head of the Hamas delegation Musa Abu Marzouk delivered remarks on behalf of the Palestinian factions. They noted that China holds an important place in the heart of Palestinian people, and expressed sincere appreciation for President Xi Jinping and China’s unchanging, firm support and selfless assistance to Palestine over a long period of time. They expressed deep appreciation for China’s strong support for intra-Palestinian dialogue and reconciliation.

Diplomatic envoys from Egypt, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Russia and Türkiye also attended the closing ceremony.

Speaking to Al Jazeera from Beijing, Mustafa Barghouti, Secretary-General of the Palestinian National Initiative, one of the 14 factions to sign the accord, said that the agreement goes “much further” than any other reached in recent years.

He said its four main elements are the establishment of an interim national unity government, the formation of unified Palestinian leadership ahead of future elections, the free election of a new Palestinian National Council, and a general declaration of unity in the face of ongoing Israeli attacks.

The move towards a unity government is especially important, he said, because it “blocks Israeli efforts to create some sort of collaborative structure against Palestinian interests.”

Barghouti said the war in Gaza was the “main factor” motivating the Palestinian sides to set aside their differences. “There is no other way now but for Palestinians to be unified and struggle together against this terrible injustice… The most important thing now is to not only sign the agreement, but to implement it.”

Addressing the Beijing meeting, Jamil Mezher, Deputy Secretary-General of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) said in part that:

China has proven, through its long history, its steadfast support for the Palestinian cause, through its political and diplomatic stances and its support for the Palestinian people in international forums.

What is required today is a unified Palestinian stance that clearly declares that we are all united behind the goals of our people in achieving freedom, self-determination, the return of refugees, and realising the dream of a Palestinian state with Al-Quds [Jerusalem] as its capital.

It is essential to announce the restoration of Palestinian national unity, uniting our forces and people and the Palestine Liberation Organisation as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, through the convening of a unifying Palestinian National Council with the participation and representation of all Palestinian forces.

Today, our people are not only facing a genocide war but also the consequences of decades of comprehensive political failure and deficiency, as well as the price of international bias led by the United States and supported by all governments and tools of the dominant colonial system in this world.

Our urgent and pressing demand is not only to end and stop the genocide but to secure our people’s rights to freedom, self-determination, the return of refugees, and the establishment of an independent state with Al-Quds as its capital.

Peoples have never achieved their rights through blame, contention, and disputes over descriptions and conflicting wills; rather, by uniting around major national goals, deeply understanding the meaning of historical responsibility, and having leadership capable of bearing responsibility and translating popular will. This is our duty today… Is there a stronger and more precious incentive than 40,000 Palestinian martyrs?

Being united in the face of this aggression is the only guarantee to achieve our major national goals. Let us work with all our strength and sincerity to achieve this goal, knowing that history will not forgive the complacent, and our people will not forgive those who fail in their national and humanitarian duty.

Let us pledge today, before our people and the martyrs of this nation, that this moment will be the beginning of a journey towards freedom, independence, the state, and the return of refugees, and let our unity be the strongest weapon in facing this oppressive enemy.

Majida Al-Masri, Deputy Secretary-General of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) said in her speech:

The heroic Palestinian people are helping to bring about the defeat of imperialism

On Saturday 29 June 2024, the International Manifesto Group and Friends of Socialist China co-organised a webinar on the topic Changes unseen in a century – Gaza, the shifting balance of forces and the rise of multipolarity, bringing together leading analysts of global politics to explore the unfolding geopolitical consequences of Zionism’s genocidal assault on the Palestinian people.

The speakers included Seyed Mohammad Marandi (University of Tehran), Lowkey (Political campaigner and hip-hop artist), Ramzy Baroud (Editor, Palestine Chronicle), Faoud Bakr (Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine), Sara Flounders (International Action Center) and Bikrum Gill (International relations expert).

Embedded below is the full video of the event, followed by the text of the remarks given by Friends of Socialist China co-editors Carlos Martinez and Keith Bennett.

Carlos Martinez: The heroic Palestinian people are in the vanguard of the struggle for a better world

Thank you very much everyone for joining this webinar today, and thanks especially to the speakers.

The speakers are all a great deal more knowledgeable than I am on the subject matter, so I’m going to keep these introductory remarks brief.

I just wanted to explain a little bit about the theme of the event; the rationale for holding it.

The title references “Changes unseen in a century”, which is an expression that’s often been used by Chinese President Xi Jinping over the course of the last five years to describe the global political shift that’s taking place.

What does “changes unseen in a century” mean? And what were the big changes that happened a century ago?

What happened a century ago, in 1917, is that a revolution took place in Russia, which was the start of humanity’s transition from the era of capitalism to the era of socialism. The October Revolution led to the formation of the Soviet Union, which contributed to the building of socialism in China, Cuba, Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Nicaragua, and the people’s democracies of Eastern Europe.

It also gave an important impetus to the anti-colonial movement and national liberation struggles around the world – in Africa, in Asia, in Latin America, in the Caribbean, in the Pacific.

It was the first major breach in the imperialist world system, and it hastened the demise of colonialism. It changed the world forever.

Of course, a lot has happened in the intervening period, and not all of it good. A lot of countries won their liberation, but the Soviet Union and many other socialist countries don’t exist any more. We’ve witnessed the rise of neoliberalism and neocolonialism. We’ve lived through the supposed “end of history”.

But times are changing once again. These are the changes unseen in a century. The so-called post-war rules-based international order – that is, US hegemony – is breaking down.

The “end of history” narrative isn’t convincing any more.

Neoliberalism has run out of road.

The countries of the Global South are rising. China is stronger than it’s ever been. Iran is stronger than it’s ever been. Several countries of Latin America and the Caribbean have thrown off the neocolonial shackles and are pursuing sovereign development and explicitly aligning themselves with the forces resistance of worldwide.

Africa is recovering from the period of structural adjustment and moving towards unity and development. BRICS is becoming increasingly important – and has overtaken the G7 in population size, economic size, and global influence.

The US and its allies can no longer impose their will on the world.

They pummelled Afghanistan for 20 years and ended up handing it back to the very same forces that they claimed to be going after in the first place.

Webinar: Changes unseen in a century – Gaza, the shifting balance of forces and the rise of multipolarity

Friends of Socialist China is pleased to be co-organising (with the International Manifesto Group) this webinar on Saturday 29 June 2024, which will bring together leading analysts of global politics to explore the unfolding geopolitical consequences of Zionism’s genocidal assault on the Palestinian people.

Date: Saturday 29 June 2024

Time: 11am US Eastern / 8am US Pacific / 4pm London / 11pm Beijing

Panelists

Seyed Mohammad Marandi (University of Tehran)
Lowkey (Political campaigner and hip-hop artist)
Ramzy Baroud (Editor, Palestine Chronicle)
Faoud Bakr (Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine)
Sara Flounders (International Action Center)
Camila Escalante (Kawsachun News)
Bikrum Gill (International relations expert)
Keith Bennett (Friends of Socialist China, International Manifesto Group)
Moderator: Carlos Martinez (Friends of Socialist China, International Manifesto Group)

Details

This webinar will bring together leading analysts of global politics to explore the unfolding geopolitical consequences of Zionism’s genocidal assault on the Palestinian people. Following on from the Ukraine crisis of recent years, the hypocrisy and blatant double standards of the major western powers have united the countries and peoples of the Global South to an unprecedented degree, and on both the diplomatic and mass popular level, rendering US imperialism and its Zionist shock troops increasingly isolated, as significant European powers at last recognise a Palestinian state, people from all walks of life mobilise, and young people in the imperialist heartlands start to be drawn into struggle in a way not seen since the Vietnam War. Together, the global majority are starting to drive changes unseen in a century. The webinar will examine such key topics as the relationship between the Palestinian people’s struggle and the overall multipolar process; the importance of Israel to the perpetuation of the US-led world order; and the potential for China and Russia to play a leading role in bringing about a lasting and just resolution to the Palestinian question.

Joint statement of China and Arab states on the question of Palestine

The tenth ministerial conference of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum (CASCF) was held in Beijing on May 30. The opening session was attended by four Arab heads of state as well as by Chinese President Xi Jinping, who delivered an opening address. Ministers from China and the 22 members of the League of Arab States attended the conference.

Among the conference outcomes, the most significant was the adoption of a 21-point joint statement on the question of Palestine. Showing a high degree of unity between China and the Arab world, and among the Arab states themselves, the comprehensive joint statement calls, among other things, for the implementation of relevant United Nations resolutions, condemns Israeli aggression, calls for a sustained ceasefire, and for the implementation of the interim measures issued by the International Court of Justice in response to the legal case brought against Israel by the government of South Africa under the Genocide Convention. It supports the admission of Palestine to the United Nations as a full member state, the convening of an international peace conference, and calls for Palestinian national unity under the umbrella of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO). It further calls for an end to Israel’s settlement program in occupied territories and protection of the Arab, Islamic and Christian attributes of the city of Jerusalem.

We carry below the full text of the joint statement. It has been machine translated and sub-edited by us, including by cross checking with other unofficial translations. The full Chinese language text, as released by the Xinhua News Agency, may be read here.

Joint Statement of China and Arab States on the Question of Palestine

On May 30, 2024, the 10th Ministerial Conference of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum was held in Beijing, during which the two sides had in-depth discussions on the Palestinian issue.

The two sides believe that the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly, including UN Security Council Resolution 2728, must be fully and effectively implemented, and that joint efforts should be made to promote an early ceasefire and cessation of hostilities in the Gaza Strip as soon as possible and to achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Palestinian issue at an early date. The parties agreed on the following:

The two sides condemn Israel’s continued aggression against the Palestinian people. More than 125,000 Palestinian civilians have been killed or injured in the Gaza Strip, most of them women and children. The Palestinian population in the Gaza Strip have been forced to suffer deadly famine and blockades, cutting off all their livelihoods, systematically destroying residential areas, hospitals, schools, mosques, churches and infrastructure in the Gaza Strip, and detaining and ill-treating thousands of Palestinian prisoners.
The two sides condemned the invasion of the city of Rafah, the bombing of refugee camps and the control of the Rafah crossing.
The two sides oppose the implementation of plans, intentions and acts of forcibly transfering the Palestinian people outside their national territory, which will destroy the opportunity for peace in the Middle East region and lead to the expansion and deterioration of the conflict in the region.
The two sides call on the Security Council to issue binding resolutions to achieve an immediate, comprehensive and sustained ceasefire, to stop the forcible transfer of the Palestinian people, to ensure the delivery of relief supplies throughout Gaza, and to implement the relevant Security Council resolutions so that life in the Gaza Strip can return to normalcy. Both sides condemn the use of the veto by the United States to prevent Palestine from becoming a full Member of the United Nations.
The two sides support the Interim Measures Orders issued by the International Court of Justice on 26 January, 28 March and 24 May 2024 concerning the case against Israel brought by South Africa for violating the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, and hold that Israel should comply with the relevant legal provisions, in particular international humanitarian law. Both sides stressed that Israel, as the occupying power, bears responsibility for the dire humanitarian conditions in Gaza.
The Arab side stresses the importance of implementing the resolutions of the Extraordinary Arab-Islamic Joint Summit held in Riyadh on 11 November 2023, including breaking the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip and enabling the immediate access of humanitarian relief supplies from Arab and Islamic countries and the international community to the entire Gaza Strip by land, sea and air. The Chinese side expressed its understanding.
The two sides stress that peace, security and stability cannot be achieved in the region without an end to the occupation of the territory of the State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital, the occupied Syrian Golan Heights and the occupied Lebanese territory. Calling upon the international community to take irreversible steps towards the independent establishment of Palestine and to achieve a political settlement based on international law and relevant international resolutions, including Security Council resolutions 242 (1967), 338 (1973), 497 (1981), 1515 (2003) and 2334 (2016), as well as all the elements of the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, so as to enable the Palestinian people to fulfil their legitimate and inalienable rights. These include the right to self-determination, the right to establish an independent State of Palestine based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, and the right to return and reparation for Palestinian refugees under United Nations General Assembly resolution 194 (1948). The two sides support the admission of the State of Palestine as a full Member of the United Nations and reaffirmed that the two-State solution is the only realistic way out of the Palestinian question.
The two sides call for the convening of a larger-scale, more authoritative and more effective international peace conference as soon as possible, and the initiation of an authoritative peace process on the basis of recognised international principles. The above process should be carried out within a defined time frame and with international guarantees until the end of the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories occupied in 1967, including East Jerusalem, along with the occupied Syrian Golan Heights and the remaining occupied Lebanese territories.
The two sides support the Palestinian Government in carrying out its duties in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and East Jerusalem in accordance with recognised international principles. The Gaza Strip is an integral part of the State of Palestine. Both sides stressed their support for the relief efforts of the Palestinian Government in Gaza. The two sides reaffirmed that the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) is the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people and called on all Palestinian factions to unite under the PLO banner and assume their respective responsibilities in a national partnership under the leadership of the PLO.
The two sides welcome the adoption by the UN General Assembly of resolution A/RES/ES-10/23 on 10 May 2024. The resolution affirmed that the State of Palestine was eligible to become a full Member of the United Nations and requires the Security Council to reconsider supporting Palestine’s accession to the United Nations and to grant more rights and interests to the State of Palestine.
The two sides called for support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) to avoid its closure. They welcomed the resumption of funding by some countries to the Agency, and called on countries that had frozen their funding to resume their support for the Agency. They welcomed the results of the independent investigation into the work of the Agency, recognised the neutrality and professionalism of the Agency and believe that it is indispensable and irreplaceable.
The two sides welcome the recent recognition of the State of Palestine by many countries, stressing that this was a driving force for achieving the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and for international and regional peace, security and stability, and called upon those countries that have not yet recognised the State of Palestine to do so as soon as possible.
The Arab side appreciates China’s long-standing position on supporting the Palestinian issue and the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people in bilateral and multilateral forums, and appreciates Chinese President Xi Jinping’s proposals on resolving the Palestinian question, as well as a series of initiatives and propositions put forward by China on the Palestinian question. It appreciates China’s adherence to fairness and justice on the Palestinian issue and its unremitting efforts to promote the peace process. It appreciates China’s support for Palestine in improving people’s livelihood and developing the economy, providing humanitarian assistance to Palestine, and its commitment to promoting the State of Palestine to become a full member of the United Nations.
Both sides stressed that Israel’s unilateral measures aimed at changing the status quo in Jerusalem are invalid and support the protection of Islamic and Christian monuments in occupied Jerusalem by the Hashemite family and its role in protecting the Arab, Islamic and Christian attributes of the city and maintaining the current historical and legal status of Jerusalem and its holy sites. The two sides stressed the need to uphold the Al-Aqsa Mosque’s current historical and legal status.
The two sides condemn the continued promotion by the government of Israel of the targeted settlement programme aimed at changing the existing historical and legal status of the Occupied Palestinian Territory and the occupied Syrian Golan Heights.
The Parties support the efforts of His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco as Chairman of the Jerusalem Committee. They stressed the important role played by the Chairman of the Jerusalem Committee and the efforts of the Jerusalem Wealth House Agency, an institution under the Committee.
The two sides support Egypt in taking all measures to respond to the impact of the aggression in the Gaza Strip and rely on Egypt’s efforts to deliver relief supplies to the Gaza Strip in an immediate and sustained manner and in sufficient quantities. The two sides expressed their support for the measures taken by Egypt to safeguard its national security, which is also a fundamental component of the security of the Arab nation.
The two sides support the joint efforts of Egypt and Qatar to promote a lasting ceasefire and bring life back to normal in the Gaza Strip. Both sides support the role played by Egypt and Algeria in bringing about reconciliation among the Palestinian factions.
The two sides appreciate the role played by Algeria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on the Palestinian issue during their tenure as non-permanent members of the Security Council, including their efforts to promote the adoption of relevant UN Security Council resolutions on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and to promote the State of Palestine to become a full member of the United Nations.
The two sides appreciate the appeal of the Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Qatar for immediate action to help all Palestinian orphans who have lost their parents and families as a result of the aggression against Gaza. They call on all states and the international community to work together to provide the necessary medical and psychological support to orphans and amputee children within the framework of the relevant efforts of the League of Arab States.
The two sides appreciate Algeria’s efforts to support the question of Palestine at the political and material levels, as well as President Tebboune’s active efforts, in particular the convening of the intra-Palestinian reconciliation conference among the various factions on 13 October 2022 and the adoption of the Algiers Declaration, which is a positive step on the road to national unity in Palestine.

Xi Jinping’s speech at the 10th ministerial conference of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum

The tenth conference of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum (CASCF) was held in Beijing on May 30, marking 20 years since the launch of the biannual gathering.

Representatives from the 22 member countries of the League of Arab States participated and the growing importance attached by both sides to their relationship was underscored by President Xi Jinping delivering a keynote speech in the opening session and the presence of the heads of state of Bahrain, Egypt, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), who combined attendance at this ministerial level gathering with state visits to China.

President Xi began his speech in personal vein, stating that, “I always find it heart-warming to meet Arab friends,” adding:

“The friendship between the Chinese and Arab peoples is deeply rooted in our friendly exchanges along the ancient Silk Road, in our joint struggles for national liberation, and in our win-win cooperation in promoting national development.”

He noted that: “As changes unseen in a century unfold rapidly across the world, both China and Arab states strive to accomplish their historical missions of national rejuvenation and faster national development. Building a China-Arab community with a shared future is a strong statement of our common desire for a new era of China-Arab relations and a better future for the world.”

The Chinese leader’s remarks served to underscore the difference between China’s approach to fellow members of the Global South compared to that displayed by the imperialist powers. He observed: “In this turbulent world, peaceful relations come from mutual respect, and lasting security is built on fairness and justice… In a world of growing diversity, more dialogue means less confrontation, and more inclusiveness means less estrangement.

“We are ready to work with the Arab side to jointly champion an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalisation and set a model of South-South cooperation on global governance.”

His forward looking spirit was also reflected in the key areas he highlighted for cooperation, which included not only oil and gas, but also trade and infrastructure, along with new growth areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), investment, new energy, and green innovation.

Referring to the first China-Arab States Summit, which was held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in December 2022, and having announced that the second summit will be held in China in 2026, Xi recalled that he had put forward eight major cooperation initiatives in Riyadh, adding:

“New progress has been made in scientific R&D and technology transfer. Trade and energy cooperation have scaled new heights. Small and beautiful livelihood projects are advancing in parallel with signature flagship projects. Cooperation in areas such as food security, green innovation and health is deepening and getting more substantial. Platforms for people-to-people exchanges and cooperation are functioning well.”

To further propel these positive developments, he suggested five cooperation frameworks, aimed at achieving:

A more dynamic framework for innovation
An expanded framework for investment and finance cooperation (including welcoming Arab banks to join the Cross-border Interbank Payment System, which represents an alternative to the US-controlled SWIFT system)
A more multifaceted framework for energy cooperation – embracing renewable energy projects
A more balanced framework for mutually beneficial economic and trade ties – including accelerating negotiations on bilateral and regional free trade agreements; and
A broader framework for people-to-people exchanges. China will invite 200 leaders of Arab political parties to visit China every year.

Naturally, no dialogue with Arab leaders, especially at the present time, could possibly fail to pay keen attention to the situation facing the embattled Palestinian people in the face of a genocidal Zionist war of aggression.

President Xi noted that, since last October, the people in Gaza had been thrown into tremendous suffering:

“War should not continue indefinitely. Justice should not be absent forever… China firmly supports 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 supports Palestine’s full membership in the UN, and supports a more broad-based, authoritative and effective international peace conference.”

He further pledged another round of emergency humanitarian aid from China.

The following is the full text of President Xi’s speech. It was originally published by the Xinhua News Agency.

Why so many young Asian-Americans stand with Palestine

In the following article, which we reprint from Yes! Media, Cathi Choi reports how during this year’s Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, which is celebrated in the United States each May, students across the country are shutting down college campuses as part of a growing mass movement in support of a free Palestine.

She notes that, according to a November 2023 GenForward survey, younger Asian Americans are the demographic group most likely to sympathise with Palestinians and to believe that the United States is too supportive of Israel. The legacy of US wars waged throughout Asia has historically shaped generations of solidarity-building between Asian Americans and all peoples facing the brunt of US militarism. And as the US continues to fund Israel, militarise the Pacific, and exacerbate tensions with China, young Asian Americans have a particular role to play in challenging the ever-growing US war machine.

In a recent interview, Ji Hye Choi, a young organiser with Marianas for Palestine, shared that as a Korean woman born and raised on the US territory of Guam, her ancestral legacy and upbringing have shown her how communities across time and space have organised to resist colonisation, capitalist-driven militarism and US forever wars.

She said sceptics dismiss her because of her young age, but she is nevertheless determined to stand in solidarity with Palestinians based on a shared understanding of “the global fight for resistance and liberation.”

Cathi describes Ji Hye as “continuing a tradition that I have been proud to be a part of through my own work mobilising hundreds of intergenerational activists across the country to end the Korean War.

“While the term ‘Asian American’ has been rightfully critiqued, the origins of Asian America are rooted in an internationalist, anti-war ethos. As Karen Ishizuka describes in ‘Serve the People: Making Asian America in the Long Sixties’, [published by Verso], it was ‘no accident’ that Asian America was born during the peak of organising against the Vietnam War, when Asian Americans highlighted the connection between racism and militarism in Vietnam – a perspective they felt the mainstream anti-war movement ignored.

“Past Asian American organisers also applied a class lens to their organising, demanding divestment from militarism and reinvestment in working-class communities at home. This class-based analysis is even more critical today as Asian Americans have the largest income gap of any racial group.”

She also cites the pioneering work of the Combahee River Collective, a “radical black feminist, socialist, anti-imperialist collective of women.”

According to Cathi, “With zero accountability, the US military continues its costly ramp-up for a war against China as it prepares for the Rim of Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC)… carried out in the Pacific biennially in coordination with 25 other countries (including Israel, South Korea, and the Philippines).

“In April, Biden also approved a controversial bill after it was passed by Congress, reauthorising the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). A coalition of leading Asian American organiations opposed this renewal because FISA has been used to ‘justify mass spying, racial profiling, and discrimination of innocent people,’ with harsh consequences for both Asian Americans and pro-Palestinian protestors.”

Cathi Choi is the director of policy and organising for Women Cross DMZ, and co-coordinator of Korea Peace Now! Grassroots Network.

Yes! Media describes itself as a nonprofit, independent publisher of solutions journalism.

As we mark Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, students across the country are shutting down college campuses and spurring mass movement for a free Palestine.

Younger generations are significantly more pro-Palestine than their elders, and according to a November 2023 GenForward survey, younger Asian Americans are the demographic group most likely to sympathize with Palestinians and to believe that the United States is too supportive of Israel. The legacy of U.S. wars waged throughout Asia has historically shaped generations of solidarity-building between Asian Americans and all peoples facing the brunt of U.S. militarism. And as the U.S. continues to fund Israel, militarize the Pacific, and exacerbate tensions with China, young Asian Americans have a particular role to play in challenging the ever-growing U.S. war machine.

In a recent interview, Ji Hye Choi, a young organizer with Mariånas for Palestine, shared that as a Korean woman born and raised on the U.S. territory of Guam, her ancestral legacy and upbringing have shown her how communities across time and space have organized to resist colonization, capitalist-driven militarism, and U.S. forever wars.

Ji Hye said skeptics dismiss her because of her young age, but she is nevertheless determined to stand in solidarity with Palestinians based on a shared understanding of “the global fight for resistance and liberation.” As I listened, I was deeply struck by her clarity and deep sense of purpose, both tied to her ancestral inheritance.

Through her work to build solidarity with Palestinians, Ji Hye is one of many young Asian Americans working to resist U.S. militarism and war. She is continuing a tradition that I have been proud to be a part of through my own work mobilizing hundreds of intergenerational activists across the country to end the Korean War.

While the term “Asian American” has been rightfully critiqued, the origins of Asian America are rooted in an internationalist, anti-war ethos. As Karen Ishizuka describes in Serve the People: Making Asian America in the Long Sixties, it was “no accident” that Asian America was born during the peak of organizing against the Vietnam War, when Asian Americans highlighted the connection between racism and militarism in Vietnam—a perspective they felt the mainstream anti-war movement ignored. U.S. militarism and imperialism continue to fuel anti-Asian violence today.

Past Asian American organizers also applied a class lens to their organizing, demanding divestment from militarism and reinvestment in working-class communities at home. This class-based analysis is even more critical today as Asian Americans have the largest income gap of any racial group. Much of this economic disparity can be tied to the legacies of U.S. wars and militarism in Asian Americans’ countries of origin.

We stand on our predecessors’ tall shoulders and those of preeminent feminists like Margo Okazawa-Rey, a founding member of International Network of Women Against Militarism and the historic Combahee River Collective, a “radical black feminist, socialist, anti-imperialist collective of women.” As a “transnational feminist, U.S.-based African-American and Japanese woman,” Okazawa-Rey has long led movements in challenging militarism and radically rethinking possibilities for intersectional activism in the Asia Pacific and beyond.

Like Okazawa-Rey, our predecessors applied intersectional lenses to their activism. We must learn from them as we advocate for long-term change in all arenas of policymaking by building out a “robust ecosystem” of movements and community power, as urged by veteran movement leaders Ahmad Abuznaid of U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights, Deepa Iyer of Building Movement Project, and Darakshan Raja of Muslims for Just Futures.

In particular, we must wrest power out of the hands of war profiteers and weapons manufacturers and reclaim the halls of legislative power from corporate interests. U.S. military spending has reached new heights; in April, Biden signed into law a $95 billion military spending package after it was approved by Congress, with $26 billion allotted to Israel and $8 billion to the Asia Pacific. As the U.S. continues to fund Israel, it also expands its military presence in the Asia Pacific in preparation for a potential war with China.

More than half of U.S. national discretionary spending already goes toward the Pentagon, which has failed every single audit ever mandated by Congress, leaving billions unaccounted for. With zero accountability, the U.S. military continues its costly ramp-up for a war against China as it prepares for the Rim of Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC)—highly destructive war drills carried out in the Pacific biennially in coordination with 25 other countries (including Israel, South Korea, and the Philippines). While RIMPAC rages on, U.S. communities lack affordable health care, housing, and education, and are underprepared to deal with the devastating effects of the climate crisis.

In April, Biden also approved a controversial bill after it was passed by Congress, reauthorizing the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). A coalition of leading Asian American organizations opposed this renewal because FISA has been used to “justify mass spying, racial profiling, and discrimination of innocent people,” with harsh consequences for both Asian Americans and pro-Palestinian protestors.

We must continue learning from our collective pasts as we organize during this increasingly precarious time. Our elders have taught us that an identity grouping is only as meaningful as its capacity to be transformative for all peoples. Okazawa-Rey has explained that the Combahee River Collective’s “identity politics” were not exclusionary, but about galvanizing collective power to organize against all systems of oppression.

If we are to continue making meaning out of “Asian America” this AAPI Heritage Month, we must root ourselves in intersectional principles, draw threads across global and local struggles, and forge new paths toward a world free from U.S. militarism and forever wars.

China: Israel must immediately cease its military operation in Rafah

China has demanded that Israel immediately cease its military offensive in Gaza’s Rafah city.

Speaking at the United Nations on May 20, Fu Cong, China’s Permanent Representative to the world body, told the Security Council that, “facing strong opposition from the international community, Israel is still pushing ahead with its large-scale offensive on Rafah, once again driving hundreds of thousands of Gazans into displacement.

“Nothing can justify the perpetuation of conflict. The collective punishment of civilians does not create conditions conducive to the rescue of hostages. Israel must immediately cease its military operation in Rafah.”

The current humanitarian disaster in Gaza is inconceivable, Fu added. The occupation of the Rafah border crossing has seriously hindered access to humanitarian aid and humanitarian workers and UN personnel are confronted with multiple obstacles and even risks to their lives, which is unacceptable,

Clearly alluding to such cynical gimmicks as the US ‘floating pier’ and dangerous and ineffective air drops, Fu said that land routes are crucial for humanitarian delivery and have no substitute, further noting that Israel should effectively comply with its obligations under international law and international humanitarian law by immediately opening up all land crossings and ensuring the supply of food, medicine, fuel, and other necessities. Gaza is an inalienable part of Palestine, the Chinese envoy affirmed, adding that any proposal on post-war governance of Gaza should respect the will of the Palestinian people

May 15 marked the 76th anniversary of the Nakba, the massive exodus of Palestinians that occurred in 1948 following the establishment of the state of Israel. For decades, generations of Palestinians have made arduous struggles for their legitimate rights, he added.

Meanwhile, on May 22, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin, responding to the news that Ireland, Spain and Norway were officially recognising the State of Palestine, said that “China always firmly supports the just cause of the Palestinian people in restoring their legitimate national rights, supports the two-State solution and is one of the first countries to recognise the State of Palestine.”

The following articles were originally published by the Xinhua News Agency.

Chinese envoy says Israel must cease Rafah offensive

UNITED NATIONS, May 20 (Xinhua) — A Chinese envoy said Monday that Israel must immediately cease its military offensive in Rafah city in the Gaza Strip.

Facing strong opposition from the international community, Israel is still pushing ahead with its large-scale offensive on Rafah, once again driving hundreds of thousands of Gazans into displacement, said Fu Cong, China’s permanent representative to the United Nations, expressing China’s grave concern about and strong opposition to the operation.

“Nothing can justify the perpetuation of conflict. The collective punishment of civilians does not create conditions conducive to the rescue of hostages. Israel must immediately cease its military operation in Rafah,” he told the UN Security Council.

China supports further Security Council actions to ensure the implementation of its Resolution 2728, which demands a humanitarian cease-fire, Fu said, adding China also hopes that the United States, as the country with major influence on Israel, can uphold impartiality and effectively facilitate a cease-fire and cessation of hostilities.

The current humanitarian disaster in Gaza is inconceivable. The occupation of the Rafah border crossing has seriously hindered access to humanitarian aid, as humanitarian supplies from Jordan to Gaza have been blocked and sabotaged, and humanitarian workers and UN personnel are confronted with multiple obstacles and even risks to their lives, which is unacceptable, said Fu.

Land routes are crucial for humanitarian delivery and have no substitute, he said, noting Israel should effectively comply with its obligations under international law and international humanitarian law by immediately opening up all land crossings and ensuring the supply of food, medicine, fuel, and other necessities.

Noting the two-state solution is the only viable way to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli issue, Fu said China supports the establishment of an independent state of Palestine and its early admission as a full member of the United Nations.

Gaza is an inalienable part of Palestine, the Chinese envoy said, adding any proposal on post-war governance of Gaza should respect the will of the Palestinian people, should respect the legitimate concerns of the countries in the region, and should not deviate from the general direction of the two-state solution.

May 15 marked the 76th anniversary of Nakba, the massive exodus of Palestinians that occurred in 1948 following the establishment of the state of Israel, Fu noted. For decades, generations of Palestinians have made arduous struggles for their legitimate rights, he added.

China will continue to work tirelessly together with the international community to promote an immediate cease-fire in Gaza, alleviate the humanitarian disaster, and implement the two-state solution, so that Nakba will forever be the past, and Palestine and Israel can live side by side in peace, and the Middle East can enjoy lasting peace and stability, Fu said.

China firmly supports Palestinian people restoring their legitimate national rights

BEIJING, May 22 (Xinhua) — China always firmly supports the just cause of the Palestinian people in restoring their legitimate national rights, and will continue to work with the international community to play a constructive role in promoting a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Palestinian question, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said Wednesday.

Wang made the remarks at a daily press briefing in response to the news that Spain and Ireland said they are going to recognize the Palestinian State.

China always firmly supports the just cause of the Palestinian people in restoring their legitimate national rights, supports the two-State solution and is one of the first countries to recognize the State of Palestine. China’s stance on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is consistent, Wang noted.

“We believe the immediate priority is to implement UNSC Resolution 2728, realize ceasefire at once, end the unprecedented humanitarian crisis in Gaza and return to the right track of seeking a political settlement of the Palestinian question on the basis of the two-State solution as soon as possible,” Wang said.

China will continue to work with the international community to play a constructive role in ending the Palestinian-Israeli conflict as early as possible and promoting a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Palestinian question, the spokesperson added.

China decries historical injustice against the Palestinian People

May 15 marked the 76th anniversary of the Nakba, the catastrophe that saw the destruction of the historic Palestinian homeland and the uprooting and ethnic cleansing of the indigenous population at the hands of Zionist colonisers in 1948.

At the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s regular press conference that day, spokesperson Wang Wenbin said that:

“Seventy-six years on, the historical injustice suffered by the Palestinian people, far from being redressed, has further worsened. Today’s Gaza Strip is left in ruins and rubble. Those wounded and ill cannot receive timely treatment, those hungry cannot obtain necessities, and those escaping from the disaster have nowhere to go.

“People cannot help but ask, for how long will the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza drag on and when will the Palestinian people be able to see an end to their suffering?”

Reporting Wang’s remarks, the Palestine Chronicle further recapped China’s recent expressions of support for the struggle of the Palestinian people, including repeated calls for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, support for Palestine’s full membership in the United Nations, and affirming, at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the legality of the Palestinian armed struggle against occupation. In this regard, it recalled Chinese official Ma Xinmin’s statement to the ICJ that:

“The struggle waged by peoples for their liberation and right to self-determination, including armed struggle against colonialism, occupation and aggression, should not be considered terror acts.”

The following article was originally published by Palestine Chronicle.

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin said during a press conference on Wednesday that the “historical injustice” of the Nakba “has further worsened”.

Wenbin’s remarks were made during his regular press conference on May 15, which marked the 76th anniversary of the Nakba, the Catastrophe, the destruction of the Palestinian homeland – historic Palestine – and the mass ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian population in 1948.

“Seventy-six years on, the historical injustice suffered by the Palestinian people, far from being redressed, has further worsened,” Wenbin said.

“Today’s Gaza Strip is left in ruins and rubble. Those wounded and ill cannot receive timely treatment, those hungry cannot obtain basic necessities, and those escaping from the disaster have nowhere to go,” the Chinese official added.

“People cannot help but ask, for how long will the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza drag on and when will the Palestinian people be able to see an end to their suffering?”

Wenbin also reiterated that “China firmly opposes the expansion of the fighting to Rafah and opposes collective punishment on the people in Gaza.”

He also said that China continues to “support the establishment of an independent State of Palestine that enjoys full sovereignty based on the 1967 border and with east Jerusalem as its capital.”

Calls for Ceasefire

China has repeatedly called for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and affirmed its support for full membership of Palestine in the United Nations.

During a press conference on the sidelines of the second session of the National Council in Beijing last March, the Chinese minister said that “the failure to end this humanitarian disaster today, in the 21st century, is a tragedy for humanity and disgrace for civilization,”

“Nothing justifies the protraction of the conflict or the killing of the civilian population,” he added.

Wang Yi also affirmed his country’s strong support for the “just cause of the Palestinian people to restore their legitimate national rights”.

He stressed that China “will continue to work with the international community to restore peace, save lives, and uphold justice” adding that China supports “Palestine’s bid to become a full member state of the United Nations.”

Right to Armed Struggle

On February 21, China sharply criticized the United States for vetoing a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

Beijing said the move effectively gave a “green light to the continued slaughter” of Palestinians.

One day later, addressing the International Court of Justice, the Chinese representative said the Palestinians’ use of armed struggle to gain independence from foreign and colonial rule is “legitimate” and “well-founded” in international law.

“In pursuit of the right to self-determination, Palestinian people’s use of force to resist foreign oppression and complete the establishment of an independent state is (an) inalienable right well founded in international law,” Ma Xinmin told the ICJ in The Hague.

Citing resolutions by the UN General Assembly, Beijing’s envoy to the top world court said that people struggling for self-determination could use “all available means, including armed struggle.”

“The struggle waged by peoples for their liberation, right to self-determination, including armed struggle against colonialism, occupation, aggression, domination against foreign forces should not be considered terror acts,” Ma stated in his address to the ICJ, citing international conventions.

Genocide Continues

Currently on trial before the International Court of Justice for genocide against Palestinians, Israel has been waging a devastating war on Gaza since October 7.

According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, 35,233 Palestinians have been killed, and 79,141.

Moreover, at least 11,000 people are unaccounted for, presumed dead under the rubble of their homes throughout the Strip.

Palestinian and international organizations say that the majority of those killed and wounded are women and children.

The Israeli war has resulted in an acute famine, mostly in northern Gaza, resulting in the death of many Palestinians, mostly children.

The Israeli aggression has also resulted in the forceful displacement of nearly two million people from all over the Gaza Strip, with the vast majority of the displaced forced into the densely crowded southern city of Rafah near the border with Egypt – in what has become Palestine’s largest mass exodus since the 1948 Nakba.

Israel says that 1,200 soldiers and civilians were killed during the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation on October 7. Israeli media published reports suggesting that many Israelis were killed on that day by ‘friendly fire’.

China urges admitting Palestine as full UN member state

Speaking at the United Nations on May 10, Chinese Ambassador Fu Cong expressed support for the UN Security Council (UNSC) to reconsider Palestine’s application to join the world body.

His comments followed a vote in the UN General Assembly, calling on the world body to admit Palestine as a full member state. Of the 193 members of the UN, 143 voted in favour, just nine countries, including the United States, voted against, while 25 countries abstained. Those who did not participate in the vote included a number whose right to vote has been withdrawn, as US sanctions and theft prevent them from paying their membership dues. These include Venezuela and Afghanistan. Thus, Venezuela, one of the strongest supporters of the Palestinian people, was able to sponsor the resolution but not vote for it.

In his remarks, Ambassador Fu highlighted that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict has been cyclical for decades, causing generations of Palestinians to “lose their home and live in displacement under occupation.” He described the situation as a “wound of the world that is constantly ripped open and bleeding.”

The General Assembly vote followed the United States veto of a similar resolution in the Security Council on April 18. Fu described the US action as “merciless”, adding that it was, “not commensurate with the role of a responsible major country.”

As the General Assembly resolution is not binding in terms of Palestine’s full admission to the UN, due to the US’ Security Council veto, it also includes provisions for Palestine’s participation in UN activities, granting additional rights and privileges. Fu explained that these are “special modalities decided on for a lack of other options as a remedy for the historical injustice long endured by Palestine” and as a correction to the US abuse of its veto power. He further emphasised that these are exceptional and not a precedent, expressing confidence that one day Palestine “will become a full UN member and enjoy full and equal rights in the UN like other member states.”

Details of these provisions, and much more useful information and analysis, can be found in this video from Ben Norton of Geopolitical Economy Report.

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

China supports UNSC’s early reconsideration of Palestine’s application to join UN

UNITED NATIONS, May 10 (Xinhua) — China on Friday expressed support for the UN Security Council (UNSC) to reconsider Palestine’s application to join the world body.

China’s permanent representative to the UN Fu Cong emphasized the need for Palestine to be granted full UN membership in his address at the Tenth Emergency Special Session of the UN General Assembly.

Fu highlighted that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict has been cyclical for decades, causing generations of Palestinians to “lose their home and live in displacement under occupation.”

He described the situation as a “wound of the world that is constantly ripped open and bleeding.”

Fu stressed that “independent statehood has been a long-cherished aspiration of the Palestinian people” and full UN membership is a crucial step in this historic process.

He insisted that “Palestine should have the same status as Israel,” and it is the international community’s “common responsibility to support and advance the process of Palestine’s independent statehood” to ensure the “implementation of the two-state solution and lasting peace in the Middle East.”

Reflecting on recent developments, Fu expressed regret that “Palestine’s application for full UN membership was mercilessly vetoed by the United States in the Security Council on April 18.”

He criticized the United States for using its veto power to obstruct efforts to correct historical injustice against Palestine, stating that this is “not commensurate with the role of a responsible major country.”

The General Assembly’s emergency special session adopted a resolution by an overwhelming majority, reaffirming the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, recognizing Palestine’s qualification for full UN membership, and recommending that the Security Council reconsider its application.

“China welcomes this historic resolution, which reflects the will of the international community,” Fu said, noting that China co-sponsored the resolution and hoped that “the relevant country will not create further delays or hurdles.”

The resolution also includes provisions for Palestine’s participation in UN activities, granting additional rights and privileges. Fu explained that these are “special modalities decided on for a lack of other options as a remedy for the historical injustice long endured by Palestine” and as a correction to the U.S. abuse of its veto power.

He said that these modalities, adopted within the limits permitted by the UN Charter, will “enable the international community to listen more adequately to the voice of Palestine” and assist in facilitating dialogue and negotiations with Israel on a relatively equal footing.

Fu emphasized that these arrangements are exceptional and not a precedent, expressing confidence that one day Palestine “will become a full UN member and enjoy full and equal rights in the UN like other member states.”

Fu concluded by addressing the ongoing conflict, identifying the lack of implementation of the two-state solution as the core issue.

He urged Israel to “stop the collective punishment of the Gaza population,” halt its military actions in Rafah, and remove all restrictions on humanitarian goods entering Gaza.

In the West Bank, Fu called for an end to settlement activities and a reduction in settler violence.

He reaffirmed China’s commitment to playing a constructive role in achieving an immediate ceasefire, revitalizing the two-state solution, and promoting peaceful coexistence and lasting stability in the Middle East.