China promises aid for Gaza, praises relations with Arab world

Chinese President, Xi Jinping, on Thursday promised help for the Gaza Strip and spoke in favour of a peace conference at a meeting with top representatives of Arab countries.

China supports full UN membership for Palestine and the convening of a larger, more authoritative and more effective international peace conference, Xi said in Beijing on Thursday.

Xi said Beijing intended to help with post-war reconstruction and would donate 3 million dollars to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

“The war should not continue indefinitely, justice should not be permanently absent,” the Chinese head of state and Communist Party leader said.

Beijing has taken a neutral stance in the current conflict in Gaza and has repeatedly called for negotiations on a ceasefire without directly condemning the attacks led by Palestinian militant organisation Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023.

The attack triggered the conflict that is ongoing.

On Wednesday, the Foreign Ministry in Beijing once again expressed concern about Israel’s offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah and called on the relevant parties to end the fighting.

China has had good relations with the resource-rich Arab world for years.

Bahrain’s King, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Egyptian President, Abdel-Fattah al-Sissi, Tunisian President Kais Saied and United Arab Emirates President, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, travelled to Beijing for the China-Arab States Cooperation forum.

Beijing is investing money in a number of projects in the region via its Belt and Road Initiative.

Xi listed green technologies and artificial intelligence as other potential areas of cooperation.