China commits to restoring peace in Palestinian territories

China, as the new president of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), has pledged to make every effort to restore peace in the Palestinian territories amidst escalating tensions in the Middle East. In a regular news conference, Wang Wenbin, spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry, stated that China would encourage the Security Council to fulfill its responsibilities, reach a consensus, and take responsible and effective actions to ease the ongoing crisis and ensure the safety of civilians.

China assumed the rotating presidency of the UNSC last week, with the conflict in the Middle East being the top priority on its agenda for November. Zhang Jun, China’s permanent representative to the UN, emphasized the urgent need to promote a cease-fire, halt the fighting, prevent further civilian casualties, avert a larger-scale humanitarian disaster, and contain the conflict from spreading, according to state media reports.

Zhai Jun, China’s special envoy to the Middle East, recently concluded a tour of the region where he held meetings with leaders from various countries affected by the crisis. Zhai attributed the Israel-Gaza conflict to the lack of guarantees for Palestinian rights.

The presidency of the UNSC rotates among its 15 member states on a monthly basis, and China last held this position in August 2022. As tensions continue to rise, China is determined to utilize its presidency to facilitate peace and stability in the Palestinian territories.

(Reporting by the Beijing newsroom; Writing by Bernard Orr; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)