China told Israel to stop the forced establishment of West Bank settlements on Friday. Foreign Minister Wang Yi delivered the message during a meeting with Isaac Herzog in Baku.
Wang attended the Seventh Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia as the special representative of President Xi Jinping, according to state news agency Xinhua.
Wang told Herzog that Beijing views the Palestinian question as the greatest historical injustice of this century. The foreign ministry released a statement detailing the remarks.
The two-state solution is the correct path to a resolution, Wang said during the talks. He stated that the immediate priority involves fully opening access to the Gaza Strip to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe from spreading.
China expressed willingness to work alongside the international community. The goal is to push all parties back to dialogue quickly and seek a political settlement.
Discussions in Baku also covered the war on Iran involving the United States and Israel. Both presidents previously urged diplomatic solutions to achieve a comprehensive agreement to end that conflict, according to a statement from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi’s spokesperson.
Beijing criticized joint US and Israeli attacks on Iran in March, demanding an immediate halt. Wang told Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar that those attacks occurred while negotiations between Washington and Tehran had made significant progress, including addressing Israel’s security concerns.
China served as Iran’s largest trading partner, purchasing up to 90 percent of its oil, based on figures from the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission. Beijing signed a 25-year comprehensive strategic partnership agreement with Tehran in 2021.
Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Cairo in September for the first time in a decade. Xi urged Middle East nations to oppose external influence and reconsider regional security orders.
Beijing has spent the past decade cultivating closer ties with Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. China also maintains status as a top trade partner for both the US and Israel.
