China calls for large-scale peace conference on Israel-Hamas war

China Foreign Minister Wang Yi says the war in Gaza continues to escalate and China is calling for a larger-scale, more authoritative and effective international peace conference and a concrete timetable to implement a two-state solution.

Wang made the comments to reporters after talks with the Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry in Cairo, sharing his views on the Israel-Hamas war, according to a statement from the Chinese foreign ministry late on Sunday.

In a press conference with Shoukry, the top Chinese diplomat said “it is necessary to insist on the establishment of an independent, fully sovereign state of Palestine on the 1967 borders, with east Jerusalem as its capital.”

Shoukry and Wang called for “an international summit for peace to find a just, comprehensive and lasting solution to the Palestinian cause by ending the occupation and establishing an independent, contiguous Palestinian state.”

A joint statement from the two ministers urged an immediate end “to all acts of violence, killing and targeting of civilians and civilian establishments.”

Wang additionally discussed the conflict with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi, according to Chinese state media Xinhua, with both sides agreeing a ceasefire “should be achieved as soon as possible to prevent the conflict from further spilling over.”

Chinese President Xi Jinping has previously called for an “international peace conference” to resolve the fighting.

China has historically been sympathetic to the Palestinian cause and supportive of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Wang is currently on an African tour that will see him also visit Togo, Tunisia and Ivory Coast.