Foreign ministers of China, Egypt call for Gaza progress

Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday the humanitarian catastrophe caused by the Gaza conflict must be brought to an end and stressed that post-conflict governance in Gaza should be addressed in tandem with a comprehensive settlement of the Palestinian question.

He made the remarks during a phone call with Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty.

The Gaza conflict, which has dragged on for more than two years, has claimed the lives of more than 70,000 Palestinian civilians, Wang said.

He added that the ceasefire in Gaza remains fragile and the outlook remains worrying and called on all parties to closely follow the situation.

Wang said the principle of "Palestinians governing Palestine" must be upheld, with the future and destiny of Gaza firmly in the hands of the Palestinian people.

He stressed that post-conflict arrangements should take into full account the legitimate concerns of countries in the Middle East, ensure that the voices of Arab states are genuinely heard and their role effectively brought into play, and remain aligned with the two-state solution and the goal of realizing an independent Palestinian state.

He also underlined the importance of ensuring the effective participation of the United Nations, including the UN Security Council, so they can play their proper role in post-conflict governance in Gaza.

China will continue to support Egypt in playing a constructive role in safeguarding regional peace and will work together with Egypt to promote an early, comprehensive, just, and lasting settlement of the Palestinian question, Wang added.

Abdelatty briefed Wang on the latest developments in Gaza, expressing Egypt's great appreciation for China's important proposals on resolving the Palestinian question and for China's announcement of a new round of assistance to Palestine. He said Egypt supports China in playing an important role in the restoration of peace and post-conflict reconstruction in Gaza.

Noting that next year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Egypt, Wang said the two nations should seize the opportunity to firmly support each other, deepen practical cooperation, strengthen coordination in multilateral affairs, and take bilateral relations to a new level.

China will host the second China-Arab States Summit next year, Wang said, adding that China is looking forward to welcoming leaders from Egypt, which he described as an important member of the Arab world, at the event.

Abdelatty said Egypt looks forward to closer high-level exchanges with China, deeper practical cooperation, and further development of bilateral relations.

He reaffirmed Egypt's firm adherence to the one-China principle and expressed support for China in successfully hosting the summit.