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 stands ready to work with the new Iranian government to continue to firmly support each other on issues concerning each other’s 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, said Wang.
Iran is welcome to actively participate in the events hosted by China as the rotating chair of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and strengthen this new type of international organization, he said.
China is 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, said the Chinese minister.
Bagheri Kani expressed his gratitude to Chinese President Xi Jinping for sending a special envoy to the inauguration ceremony of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, saying that President Pezeshkian is firmly committed to developing Iran-China relations and ensuring that bilateral relations are not affected by changes in the international and regional situation.
Iran is willing to enhance coordination with China on international and regional affairs and give more strategic connotations to bilateral ties, Bagheri Kani said.
The two sides also exchanged views on the situation in the Middle East. Bagheri Kani briefed Wang on Iran’s position regarding the assassination of Hamas Politburo Chief Ismail Haniyeh and Iran’s perspectives on the regional situation, stressing that Iran is determined to defend national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, while striving to maintain regional security and stability.
Bagheri Kani thanked China for upholding a just stance on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and looked forward to China playing a greater role in easing the situation and promoting security in the Middle East.
Wang said that China always upholds fairness and justice in Middle East affairs and supports all parties in safeguarding their legitimate rights and interests, especially supporting Palestine in restoring its legitimate national rights.
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, he added.
What is pressing now is that the international community should join forces and urge all parties to the conflict to earnestly implement relevant Security Council resolutions, to create conditions for the early realization of a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, Wang noted.
China 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 Iran, Wang said.
Chinese, Egyptian FMs hold phone talks on bilateral ties, Middle East situation
BEIJING, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday held a phone conversation with Badr Abdelatty, Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that under the strategic guidance of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Egypt has achieved significant development and is at its best period in history.
Noting that Egypt has an important position in China’s overall diplomatic strategy, Wang said President el-Sisi’s state visit to China in May was successful, during which the two heads of state laid out a blueprint for the development of bilateral ties.
China and Egypt should seize this opportunity to fully implement the important consensus reached by the two leaders, and work towards building a China-Egypt community with a shared future in the new era, said Wang.
Abdelatty noted that this year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Egypt comprehensive strategic partnership, and cooperation between the two sides in various fields is showing positive momentum.
Egypt is willing to work with China to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state and strengthen high-level exchanges, in a bid to elevate bilateral relations, display broader prospects, and bring more benefits to the people of both countries, he said.
The two sides also exchanged views on the situation in the Middle East.
The Gaza conflict, which has resulted in a severe humanitarian crisis, is a focal point of concern for the international community, said Wang, adding that despite the United Nations Security Council’s adoption of a ceasefire resolution, hostilities have yet to subside.
Wang said the assassination of Hamas Politburo Chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran 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.
Retaliatory violence leads to a vicious cycle, and responding to violence with violence only exacerbates tensions, said Wang, noting that double standards should not be applied to the crisis in Gaza, and China’s position on the Palestinian issue has always been consistent and clear.
In response to the Gaza conflict, China has proposed a three-step initiative: achieving a comprehensive ceasefire, promoting post-war governance in Gaza under the principle of “the Palestinians governing Palestine,” and effectively implementing the two-state solution, Wang noted.
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.
Abdelatty expressed deep concern over the escalating situation in Gaza, emphasizing that the assassination of Haniyeh further complicates efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement and may even lead to a full-scale regional war.
The Middle East can no longer bear more conflict and instability, and the international community must work together to prevent further escalation of the situation in the region, he said.
Abdelatty noted that Egypt highly appreciates China’s important role in promoting peace in the Middle East, and is grateful for China’s efforts to promote internal reconciliation in Palestine.
The Egyptian side hopes to maintain close cooperation with China to prevent further escalation of the situation, he added.
Chinese FM holds phone talks with Jordanian counterpart on Mideast situation
BEIJING, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday held phone talks with Jordan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Safadi at his request, focusing on exchanging views on the situation in the Middle East.
Safadi said that the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh has further escalated tensions in the Middle East and the situation is very dangerous, adding that Jordan believes that the escalation of the conflict will not benefit any side, but only result in multiple losses.
He noted that the international community should take immediate action to avoid the escalation of the conflict, stop violations of international law, achieve a ceasefire in Gaza as soon as possible, and ultimately achieve the independence of Palestine as a sovereign state through the two-state solution.
Noting that China has always maintained an objective and fair position on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict issue, Safadi said that Jordan is willing to maintain communication with China and expects and believes that China will play a more important role in promoting a ceasefire and stopping the war.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that China firmly opposes and strongly condemns the assassination, which has violated the basic norms of international relations, infringed on Iran’s sovereignty, undermined the ceasefire negotiation process in Gaza, and led to further escalation of the regional situation.
He 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 make a more consistent voice on this issue and form a joint force.
Speaking highly of Jordan’s important role in resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and achieving peace in the Middle East, Wang said that China is willing to maintain communication and coordination with Jordan to jointly promote relevant parties to proceed from the overall peace situation, refrain from taking actions that escalate the situation, and resume ceasefire negotiations as soon as possible.
China will continue to stand firm with Arab countries, support all efforts that are conducive to achieving a permanent and full ceasefire in Gaza, avoid further escalation of conflicts and confrontations, and promote the easing of the situation in the Middle East as soon as possible, Wang added.
Rightly so.
Thank you for your sense of justice and equity, People’s Republic of China; thank you for upholding the rule of law, UN Charter and the body of International Law, for reaffirming the impartiality of Justice and the equality of all before the Law, for standing for the sovereignty and the rights of the righteous Islamic Republic of Iran.