Current Middle East status dangerous

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KUWAIT CITY, Jan 15: Chinese Ambassador to Kuwait Zhang Jianwei has confirmed that China fully supports countries in the Middle East as they work together to enhance solidarity and cooperation in facing regional challenges, reports Al-Qabas daily. He reiterated that his country did not and will not seek to achieve its interests at the expense of the people in the region. He said China’s interests are consistent with the interests of the Middle Eastern countries, which are peace and stability. He believes the current situation in the Middle East is complex and dangerous; hence, the need to resolve disputes and differences through dialogue, consultation and political means. He affirmed that China will remain a country that promotes security and stability in the Middle East, ensures cooperation on development and prosperity, supports solidarity and self-strengthening of countries in the region and contributes more to achieving reconciliation, peace and harmony in the region.

Fate
He stated: “The fate of the Middle East should be in the hands of its people, while any arrangement related to the future and destiny of Palestine must be approved by the Palestinians; taking into account the legitimate concerns of countries in the region. The solution to the current situation must not deviate from the ‘two-State solution’ to guarantee peace and stability in the region.” He pointed out that China called for setting a realistic timetable and roadmap for the two-State solution, as part of a paper clarifying China’s position on resolving the Palestinian-Israeli confl ict on the occasion of China assuming the rotating presidency of the Security Council last November. “In recent years, China has put forward the Global Security Initiative, a five-point initiative on achieving security and stability in the Middle East, and a three-point vision for implementing the two-State solution to the Palestinian issue. All of these efforts aim to encourage countries in the region to search for strength through solidarity, and resolve conflicts and differences through dialogue and consultation.”

Asked about the statement of Pentagon that China is taking advantage of the challenges that American forces are facing in the region and the Red Sea crisis to gain the status of the United States of America, Jianwei responded: “I am surprised that at a time the Palestinians are exposed to war, some people do not focus on stopping the crisis. They focus on their selfish interests and try to muddy the waters. I want to stress that China has not and will not pursue its interests at the expense of the suffering of the people of the region. China’s interests are consistent with the interests of the countries in the region, which are peace and stability. No country can develop its economy and improve the livelihood of its people without a safe and stable environment. China can establish trade, economic and investment cooperation with the Middle Eastern countries only if the region is peaceful and stable.

The Palestinian issue is a fundamental issue for peace in the Middle East. China always believes that there will be no peace in the Middle East and the world will not enjoy peace unless the Palestinian issue is resolved. The Palestinian-Israeli conflict has left major negative impacts on the region, and even the whole world. It does not benefit any party. No moral country can think about exploiting this crisis, extending, escalating or expanding it, but since the outbreak of the conflict, a large country has voted several times against a draft resolution in the UN Security Council calling for a truce to the conflict. These days, the concerned countries have taken action.

The military action against Yemen did not only cause the destruction of infrastructure and civilian casualties, but it also led to an intensification of security risks in the waters of the Red Sea, and may also affect the political process in Yemen. Military actions contradict the purpose of Resolution 2722, which was recently adopted by the UN Security Council and did not authorize the use of force against Yemen. Instead of accusing China of taking advantage of regional challenges, some people should abandon double standards and prove their responsibility to end the suffering of the Palestinian people and to maintain safety and stability in the region.” On the possibility of a Chinese military presence in the region, he pointed out the urgent needs of the region are not aircraft and warships, but factories, ports, schools and houses. He retorted: “If we want to extinguish the fire, do we pour oil on it or remove the burning wood?” He emphasized the need for a safe and stable environment, indicating this is the basic condition.

He asserted that military presence does not guarantee 100 percent peace and stability, especially when it comes from outside the region, pointing out that history and the reality in the region have proven this. “We always believe that the countries in the region are the owners of the region, and that dialogue is an effective solution to settle the conflict. Cooperation and development are the keys to maintaining stability and prosperity in the long term. Countries outside the region must play a constructive role in promoting dialogue and cooperation between countries in the region, and not the other way around. China has remained a reliable partner with sincere intentions. It has never supported the use of force, pursued selfish geopolitical interests or imposed its will on others. It has continued to support the peoples of the Middle East to explore development paths on their own. It supports the countries in the Middle East in their bid to settle differences through dialogue and consultation.” Asked about the lack of a role for China and its efforts to form international pressure to end the war on Gaza, and about the possibility of Chinese efforts to calm the situation between Hamas and Israel, as it did in the Saudi-Iranian reconciliation, he replied: “I do not agree with this description as it contradicts the facts.

Since the outbreak of the Israeli- Palestinian conflict, China has been exerting tremendous efforts to push for a ceasefire, protect civilians and alleviate the humanitarian crisis. In its capacity as the rotating president of the Security Council from last November and in solidarity with the Arab countries, China adopted the first Security Council resolution and presented a paper on its official position about resolving the conflict, which mobilized the international community’s support for peace.”

He continued: “Chinese President Xi Jinping attended the extraordinary virtual summit of leaders of the BRICS countries on the Palestinian issue, emphasizing the immediate ceasefire and the necessity of restoring the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and establishing an independent Palestinian State. Member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and Foreign Affairs Minister Wang Yi also held extensive meetings with senior figures and leaders from more than 20 countries and international organizations, including the joint delegation of foreign affairs ministers of Arab and Islamic countries. They visited Beijing as the first stop after the extraordinary Arab-Islamic Summit. This shows their deep confidence in China. He also chaired a high-level meeting of the UN Security Council on the Palestinian-Israeli issue.”

Ceasefire
The Chinese ambassador also stated that his country’s current concern is the comprehensive implementation of the relevant resolutions issued by the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly on the immediate ceasefire and stopping hostilities. “The Chinese side rejects any displacement or forced displacement of the Palestinian people. Israel must stop collective punishment of the residents of the Gaza Strip and open humanitarian corridors as soon as possible to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe on a larger scale.” He called on the UN Security Council to listen to the calls of Arab and Islamic countries and take responsible steps to calm the situation. “China believes that the root cause of the deterioration of the Palestinian-Israeli situation is that the rights of the Palestinian people to establish their State, to exist, and to return to their homeland have been ignored for a long time, as well as calls on the Chinese side to support the restoration of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, and the establishment of an independent state of Palestine that enjoys full sovereignty.” On the latest Chinese developments and efforts at Mubarak Port, he affirmed that during the successful visit of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to China in September 2023, the Chinese and Kuwaiti sides agreed to enhance cooperation in many areas like construction, infrastructure and Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port.

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