Foreign minister highlights China's support for Arab states at meeting with envoys

China will continue to support Arab states in strengthening strategic independence and holding their future in their own hands, and will keep making efforts toward peace and stability in the Middle East, Foreign Minister Wang Yi has said.

Wang made the remark in Beijing on Thursday during a group meeting with envoys from Arab countries, and said the Middle East can no longer be an arena for games between major powers or the victim of geopolitical conflicts.

A comprehensive ceasefire and permanent military withdrawal should be achieved in Gaza as soon as possible, and the Palestinian question should be solved in a comprehensive, just, and permanent manner based on the two-state solution, Wang said.

The sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of Lebanon must be maintained, the foreign minister said. All factions in Syria should launch a process of political settlement that is open and inclusive, he added, highlighting the importance of efforts to prevent a resurgence of terrorism.

Wang also called on the international community to respect the reasonable concerns of countries in the Middle East, as well as their choices and traditions, and to support countries in getting along with each other and in achieving lasting peace.

China and Arab states are "good friends and good partners enjoying shared aspiration and joint development", Wang said, adding that China will stay committed to strengthening cooperation with Arab states, no matter how the international situation changes.

Noting that ties between the two sides have entered the best stage in history, Wang said China and Arab states have enhanced their strategic mutual trust by firmly supporting each other in safeguarding their core interests.

Pragmatic cooperation has been enhanced, as all Arab countries have joined the cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative, Wang also said, adding that China-Arab cooperation in various fields have benefited almost 2 billion people across both sides.

China hopes to work with Arab countries to carry on the good momentum of cooperation and further unleash the vigor of their relations, he said.

Envoys of the Arab countries said China is a trustworthy friend of Arab states.

The first China-Arab States Summit held in Riyadh in 2022 elevated bilateral ties to a new level, the envoys said, adding that they look forward to working with China to get ready for the second summit and in obtaining more outcomes from bilateral cooperation.

The cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative, as well as the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative has benefited the world, they said.

The envoys said the Arab side highly commends China's fair position and its support for the just cause of the Palestinian people, and expects China to play an even larger role in easing tensions in the Middle East.