Somali Magazine Chinese President Xi Jinping stated Thursday that the war in Gaza “should not continue indefinitely” and reaffirmed China’s support for the building of an independent Palestinian state.
“The war should not last endlessly. Justice should not remain absent indefinitely. “The commitment to the two-state solution should not be wavered at any time,” Xi told the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum in Beijing.
The forum is being attended by Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Tunisian President Kais Saied, and President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the UAE.
Xi indicated that 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.”
Xi underlined China’s appeal for a “more broad-based, authoritative, and effective international peace conference,” while also expressing support for Palestine becoming a full UN member state.
Xi also stated that China “will continue to support efforts to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and post-war reconstruction.”
Beijing is assisting the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) in supplying essential humanitarian supplies to Gaza, he noted.
– Establishing links with Arab countries ‘for international peace and stability’
Regarding relations with the Arab states, Xi stated that Beijing was “willing to stand in solidarity” with the group while transforming China-Arab relations “into a model for maintaining world 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,” he stated.
“China is willing to work with the Arab states to explore ways to resolve hotspot issues that are conducive to upholding fairness and justice and to achieving long-term peace and stability,” Xi added.
He also stated that the framework for investment and financial cooperation with Arab nations will be broadened, notably in the banking sector.
China is presently the Arab region’s largest trading partner, with an annual turnover of over $400 billion.
Xi also proposed collaborating with the Arab side to construct the China-Arab Center for Global Civilization Initiative.
Beijing will invite 200 leaders of Arab political parties to visit China each year, striving to achieve the goal of 10 million two-way visits by tourists in the next five years, he said.
Xi also pledged to expedite cooperation projects that are financed by the special loans in support of industrialization in the Middle East.
“China supports closer cooperation between financial institutions from the two sides, welcomes Arab states to issue panda bonds in China, and welcomes Arab banks to join the Cross-Border Interbank Payment System. China is also ready to deepen exchanges and cooperation on central bank digital currency with the Arab side,” he said.