In brief
China’s foreign minister Wang Yi has warned Israel to cease the forced establishment of settlements in the occupied West Bank and to reverse any further action. Meeting Israeli President Isaac Herzog during an Azerbaijan conference, Wang underlined the Palestinian cause as “the greatest historical injustice of this century” and reaffirmed China’s support for a two‑state solution. Beijing has positioned itself as a mediator, having brokered an Iran‑Saudi talks deal in 2023 and recently joined efforts, alongside Pakistan, to push a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict. Wang urged Israel to open full access to Gaza, halt daily strikes, and return to dialogue to prevent a humanitarian disaster. The call arrives as Gaza continues to endure frequent Israeli air strikes even after the 2025 ceasefire, with over 1,400 Palestinians killed in the subsequent year.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has warned Israel to stop the forced establishment of settlements in the West Bank and to reverse its actions.
The remark was made during a face‑to‑face meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog at a conference in Azerbaijan, where Wang highlighted the Palestinian issue as “the greatest historical injustice of this century.”
China has long championed Palestinian rights and maintains that a two‑state solution is the correct direction. In recent years the country has positioned itself as a mediator in regional conflicts, brokering an Iran‑Saudi rapprochement in 2023 and joining Pakistan in proposing a ceasefire for the US‑Israel war against Iran.
Beijing’s focus on the Gaza war has been on achieving Palestinian unity. In 2024 it managed for rival factions to agree—though without implementation—on an interim national reconciliation government for the occupied West Bank and Gaza after Israel’s offensive.
Wang stressed that the “immediate priority” is to open full access to Gaza and stop the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe. He pledged China’s willingness to work with the international community to restore dialogue and seek a political solution.
Israeli President Herzog, on X, said he was pleased to meet Wang and that their discussion focused on bilateral relations and the broader Middle East situation. He highlighted Israel’s desire for peace, juxtaposed with strategic threats from Iran and its proxies.
China maintains close ties with Iran and remains its biggest oil purchaser, despite U.S. sanctions linked to Tehran’s nuclear programme.
One year into the ceasefire, Gaza remains under nightly Israeli strikes and the population faces displacement and food insecurity. Over 1,400 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli airstrikes since the ceasefire started in October 2025.
While the U.S. brokering of the ceasefire represented the first phase of a comprehensive end to Gaza hostilities, progress to the next phase has stalled, with Israel and Hamas accusing each other of violations.
