In an unusual move, Chinese President Xi Jinping strengthened China’s statement condemning the attacks in Israel and the Gaza Strip after coming under pressure from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Monday.
China, in an updated statement through a foreign ministry spokesperson, condemned “all violence and attacks on civilians” and said “the most urgent task now is to reach a ceasefire and restore peace.”
The stronger statement after Schumer expressed his disappointment with an earlier statement from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs that merely called for restraint.
“I raised with President Xi the unfolding atrocities carried out against Israel and the need for the world community to stand together against terrorism and with the Israeli people, and pointedly requested from President Xi that the Chinese Foreign Minister strengthen their statement; they did,” Schumer said in a Monday statement.
China’s foreign ministry on Sunday said: “We call on relevant parties to remain calm, exercise restraint and immediately end the hostilities to protect civilians and avoid further deterioration of the situation.”
Schumer said that statement didn’t go far enough. He told Xi on Monday he was “very disappointed” that China’s government had not condemned the attacks on 22 Israeli towns by Hamas militants in stronger terms.
I’m not surprised about China failing to specifically call out Hamas or specifically back Israel - they’ve been working very hard to get strategic partnerships set up throughout the Middle East and overt support for Israel could weaken those accords and end up costing China money. Sure, China has good relations with Israel, but I doubt that will change because they weren’t strong enough or specific enough in their opposition of Hamas.
It’s all strategy for Xi - the man knows how to ride fence all the way to the bank.
Most of those Middle Eastern partners don’t really care about Palestine either, but you make a good point.
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