SINGAPORE/BEIJING: Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Friday exchanged views on China-U.S. relations, military-to-military ties, the Taiwan question, the South China Sea issue, the Ukraine crisis and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Dong and Austin held talks on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s annual defense and security forum, in Singapore on Friday afternoon, the …
HAGUE: The top United Nations court on Friday ordered Israel to halt military operations in Rafah, a landmark ruling likely to increase mounting international pressure on Israel more than seven months into the Gaza crisis. Israel must “immediately halt its military offensive, and any other action in the Rafah Governorate, which may inflict on the Palestinian group in Gaza conditions …
NEW YORK: Fu Cong, China’s permanent representative to the United Nations, said on Tuesday that eliminating armed conflict is the best protection for civilians. “While saving lives in armed conflict is a noble goal, it must be noted that as long as conflicts have not ended, the lives of civilians are under constant threat,” Fu noted when speaking at the …
UNITED NATIONS: In a historic vote, the UN General Assembly decisively approved a resolution on Friday, granting Palestine an enhanced presence within the world body, bolstering its rights and privileges. The resolution passed with an overwhelming majority of 143 countries in favour, signalling a resounding international endorsement. Nine countries, led by the United States, voted against the resolution. Twenty-five countries, …
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Sunday extended Pakistan’s support for Palestine’s admission as a full member of the UN, and resumption of the peace process for the realisation of a “viable, contiguous and sovereign” Palestinian state on pre-1967 borders. Dar, who doubles as the deputy prime minister and is also a senator, arrived in The Gambia on Wednesday to …
NEW YORK: Fu Cong, China’s permanent representative to the United Nations, on Wednesday said the United States was abusing its veto power on the Palestine-Israel issue. He made the remarks while addressing the UN General Assembly plenary meeting on the use of the veto on the situation in the Middle East. Fu expressed China’s disappointment over a U.S. decision on …
BEIJING: At the invitation of China, representatives of the Palestinian National Liberation Movement (Fatah) and the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) recently visited Beijing for in-depth and candid talks on promoting intra-Palestinian reconciliation, and the talks progressed to discussing next steps, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson confirmed on Tuesday. Spokesperson Lin Jian made the remarks at a regular press briefing in …
BEIJING; Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese foreign minister, held talks with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday in Beijing, with the two sides reaching a five-point consensus based on a comprehensive exchange of views. First, both sides agreed to continue to work hard to stabilize …
LAHORE: A pro-Palestine protester on Saturday interrupted and chanted slogans during the German ambassador’s speech on civil rights at a conference in Lahore. Germany’s Ambassador to Pakistan Alfred Grannas was speaking at the 5th Asma Jahangir Conference titled ‘People’s Mandate: Safeguarding Civil Rights in South Asia’. Announced by the Asma Jahangir Legal Aid Cell (AGHS), the two-day conference is being organised in …
Question: Foreign Minister Wang Yi, you talked about the conflict in Gaza at your recent press conference held on the margins of the annual session of the National People’s Congress. What measures will China possibly take to promote an immediate ceasefire in Gaza? Wang Yi: The protracted conflict in Gaza has become a humanitarian catastrophe that should not have happened, which …