Chinese President Xi Jinping praised his "deep sense of camaraderie" with Arab countries on Thursday during the opening of the China-Arab Cooperation Forum in Beijing, aimed at deepening relations with the region. He called for an international peace conference concerning the Middle East. The opening session was attended by the Chinese president and leaders from four Arab countries (Egypt, the UAE, Bahrain, and Tunisia), along with foreign ministers and officials from both sides.
In his speech, Xi stated, "Every time I meet with our Arab friends, I feel a deep sense of camaraderie," adding that "the friendship between China and the Chinese people and the Arab countries and peoples stems from the friendly exchanges along the ancient Silk Road." He mentioned that China and the Arab side will build a more balanced framework for economic and trade relations that benefits both sides.
Regarding the war in Gaza, the Chinese president emphasized, "War cannot continue indefinitely, justice cannot remain absent forever, and a two-state solution cannot be arbitrarily dismissed." Xi declared, "China strongly supports the establishment of an independent State of Palestine with full sovereignty and endorses the Palestinian quest to become a full member of the United Nations."
He called for a "broad-based" peace conference to address the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, warning that justice in the Middle East cannot "be absent forever." Addressing the Arab leaders in Beijing, as stated in a foreign ministry release, he remarked that "the Middle East has vast development prospects. Justice should not be absent forever," urging for "a more reliable and effective international peace conference."
For his part, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, while the UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed mentioned that the region is facing difficult conditions due to Israel's war on Gaza. The King of Bahrain also emphasized the need to intensify efforts to recognize the State of Palestine.
Additionally, the Chinese president underscored the necessity to combat all attempts at the forced displacement of Palestinians. Furthermore, state media quoted Xi stating that China will provide an additional 500 million yuan to help alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and support post-conflict reconstruction, and that China will donate three million dollars to UNRWA to assist in urgent humanitarian aid for Gaza.
