Blinken emphasizes to Wang importance of Israel-Hamas war not spreading

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, right, is welcomed by Yang Tao, center, Director General of the Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs of China's Foreign Ministry, and US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns, left, as he arrives in Beijing, China, June 18, 2023. (Leah Millis/Pool Photo via AP)
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, right, is welcomed by Yang Tao, center, Director General of the Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs of China's Foreign Ministry, and US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns, left, as he arrives in Beijing, China, June 18, 2023. (Leah Millis/Pool Photo via AP)

The top diplomats from China and the United States discussed the war between Israel and the Hamas terror group in a call, Beijing and Washington say.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken “reiterated the imperative of all parties working to prevent the conflict from spreading,” according to the US State Department.

Beijing says Foreign Minister Wang Yi stressed in turn that, regarding the war, “the top priority is to cease fire and end the war as soon as possible.”

“Major countries must adhere to fairness and justice, uphold objectivity and impartiality, demonstrate calm and rationality, and make every effort to cool down the situation and prevent larger-scale humanitarian disasters,” Wang said, according to the foreign ministry.

He reiterated Beijing’s calls for a two-state solution to the conflict, stressing that “any arrangement involving the future of Palestine must reflect the will of the Palestinian people.”

“China is willing to work with all parties to make efforts to this end,” he said.

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