During a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron, Chinese leader Xi Jinping made a plea for a ceasefire in Gaza and emphasized the importance of achieving lasting peace in the Middle East. Xi called for the immediate realization of a comprehensive and sustainable ceasefire in Gaza, support for Palestine to become a full member of the United Nations, restoration of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian nation, restart of the two-state solution, and the ultimate goal of achieving lasting peace in the region.
Xi Jinping highlighted that the prolonged conflict in Gaza is a test of human conscience and urged the international community to take action to address the situation. He also reiterated China's stance on the Ukraine crisis, emphasizing China's commitment to promoting peace and opposing any attempts to escalate the conflict into a new Cold War.
Aside from addressing political matters, Xi Jinping called for closer cooperation between China and France in various fields such as agriculture, finance, aerospace, nuclear power, and cultural exchanges. During the visit, China and France signed a total of 18 interdepartmental cooperation agreements to strengthen their bilateral relations.
It was noted that Chinese diplomat Wang Kejian had met with Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Qatar in March, and Beijing refrained from naming or condemning Hamas following the October 7 attacks. However, China has since condemned the war in Gaza and advocated for an immediate ceasefire, as well as the implementation of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
