China worried about escalation of Gaza war, calls for ceasefire
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According to the Chinese Special Envoy on the Middle East, Zhai Jun, using violence to fight violence is only a circle that will bring more obstacles as he calls for a cessation of aggression.
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Special envoy of China to the Middle East Zhai Jun with Russia's Deputy FM and Special Presidential Representative for the Middle East and Africa Mikhail Bogdanov in Qatar, on Oct. 19, 2023 (AP)
Chinese Special Envoy on the Middle East Zhai Jun relayed that China was expressing worry regarding a possible escalation of the war on Gaza and urged both parties to a ceasefire.
During a press conference after the Cairo Summit for Peace in Egypt, he said: "China is deeply concerned about the prospect of further escalation of the conflict," adding that the current situation in Gaza is critical.
"China opposes and strongly condemns all acts that harm civilians, opposes any acts that violate international law, and calls on all parties to maintain calm and restraint to prevent the situation from further deteriorating or even getting out of control, and to prevent a more serious humanitarian catastrophe," Zhai stated.
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According to the diplomat, using violence to fight violence is only a circle that will bring more obstacles.
He expressed that "only through an early cessation of fire and hostilities and by facilitating the relaxation of the situation can the necessary conditions for a political settlement be created."
US' show of arms
Yesterday, Zhai was quoted by the Chinese Foreign Ministry: "The United Nations should facilitate the early convening of a more authoritative, more influential, and larger-scale international peace conference".
He further emphasized that the recent intensification of the war on Gaza underscored the undeniable significance of the Palestinian cause, which cannot be disregarded or relegated to obscurity.
Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington, Liu Pengyu, called for an end yesterday to groundless hyping of the deployment of Chinese warships to the Middle East amid the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip.
It is noteworthy that since the start of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, Beijing has expressed its readiness to play a role in injecting certainty and stability into the Middle East region and the world, calling for a ceasefire in Gaza to stop the war as soon as possible to prevent its expansion.
Liu's statement comes shortly after US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced on Sunday that the United States would deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-ballistic missile defense system, as well as additional Patriot battalions in the Middle East to enhance the security of US forces.
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Austin claimed that the moves were in response to "recent escalations by Iran and its proxy forces across the Middle East."
He added that "these steps will bolster regional deterrence efforts, increase force protection for US forces in the region, and assist in the defense of Israel."
