ADDS CHINESE PRESIDENT’S MEETING WITH OTHER LEADERS, CHANGES HEADER, DECK, LEDE
By Riyaz ul Khaliq and Necva Tastan
ISTANBUL (AA) - China’s President Xi Jinping said Thursday that Beijing will coordinate with Arab nations to seek a “lasting solution” to the Palestinian question as he pressed a two-state solution.
“China will coordinate more with Egypt and other Arab countries to work for a comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the Palestinian question,” Xi told Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly on the sidelines of a Belt and Road Forum which concluded Wednesday in Beijing.
They were the first direct comments by Xi since the conflict between Israel and Palestine began Oct. 7.
“The top priority is to stop the fighting as soon as possible, prevent the conflict from spreading, or even getting out of control and causing a severe humanitarian crisis,” said Xi.
“The fundamental way out of the recurring Palestinian-Israeli conflict is to implement the two-state solution, establish an independent state of Palestine, and achieve peaceful coexistence between Palestine and Israel,” Xi said, according to a statement by Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying.
Xi lauded Egypt’s “vital role in deescalating the situation” and said it “supports its effort to open a humanitarian corridor.”
Beijing has called for a cease-fire and urged Tel Aviv to heed international law.
More than 5,100 people have died on both two sides -- the most being Palestinians in the Gaza Strip since the latest escalation started.
China is sending a special envoy to the region this week to help achieve calm.
Xi also met several world leaders Thursday, including from Turkmenistan, Cambodia, Mongolia, Congo, and Argentina.
Xi told Turkmenistan leader Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov that strengthening the China-Turkmenistan strategic partnership “benefits both nations and aligns with their shared goals.”
In a separate meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, Xi said: “Chinese and Cambodian leaders visit each other as often as relatives do, which shows the robustness of the bilateral relations.”
He said China was prepared to strengthen the connection between the Belt and Road Initiative and Cambodia's Pentagonal Strategy, promoting the Industrial and Technological Corridor and the Fish and Rice Corridor.
Xi met with Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh.
“China and Mongolia aspire to a future of cooperation and mutual benefit,” he said.
He told President Alberto Angel Fernandez that China will collaborate with Argentina to promote the “stable and sustainable” development of ties and “set an example for cooperation within the Global South.”
The Chinese president pledged support to Argentina in “upholding its economic and financial stability.”
In his meeting with Congo President Denis Sassou-N’Guesso, Xi said: "Shared ideals, mutual trust and mutual support are the key to the sustained and steady growth of our bilateral relations."
Thailand's newly-elected Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin also met Xi on Thavisin’s first overseas stop outside the Southeast Asian region.
“China and Thailand are one family,” Xi told Thavisin, adding Beijing was "ready to work with Thailand to add new dimensions to our close relations, draw strength from our traditional friendship and turn it into momentum for win-win cooperation in the new era."
Beijing hosted the two-day forum which was attended by more than 10,000 delegates from 151 countries and 41 international organizations, which shows the “appeal and global influence” of the Belt and Road Initiative, said Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
He added that 458 cooperation results were achieved at the forum.
Twenty-five presidents, vice presidents and prime ministers were in the audience, including UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.