Gaza war should not continue indefinitely: Xi Jinping
Chinese President Xi Jinping said Thursday that the war in Gaza 'should not continue indefinitely' as he reiterated China’s support for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
'The war should not continue indefinitely. Justice should not be absent forever. Commitment to the two-state solution should not be wavered at will,' Xi Jinping remarked at the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum in Beijing.
Attending the forum were Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Tunisian President Kais Saied, and United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
President Xi reiterated China's strong support for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, with full sovereignty, based on the 1967 borders and East Jerusalem as its capital.
Expressing support for Palestine's pursuit of full UN membership, Xi called for a 'more broad-based, authoritative, and effective international peace conference.'
Chinese President also affirmed China's continued efforts to help alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and contribute to post-war reconstruction.
Regarding relations with Arab states, Xi expressed Beijing's readiness to 'stand in solidarity' with them, aiming to transform China-Arab relations into a model for promoting global peace and stability.
'In a turbulent and unstable world, mutual respect is the way to harmonious coexistence, and fairness and justice are the foundation for lasting security,' Xi emphasized.
Xi added that China is prepared to work with Arab states to address hotspot issues, promote fairness and justice, and achieve long-term peace and stability.
He also highlighted plans to expand investment and financial cooperation with Arab countries, including in the banking sector.
China currently stands as the largest trade partner of the Arab region, with an annual trade turnover of approximately $400 billion.