On July 23, 2024, Wang Yi, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs, attended the closing ceremony of the Dialogue on Reconciliation among Palestinian factions in Beijing, witnessing the signing of the Beijing Declaration on Ending Secession and Strengthening Palestinian Unity by 14 Palestinian factions.
In his speech, Wang Yi said that since the beginning of the new era, President Xi Jinping has repeatedly put forward proposals and proposals for resolving the Palestinian issue, and has contributed Chinese wisdom and solutions to the settlement of the Palestinian issue. This is an important historic moment in the cause of Palestinian liberation, when 14 Palestinian factions gather in Beijing in the spirit of national righteousness. The Chinese side appreciates the efforts made by all parties to reconcile and congratulates the successful Beijing dialogue and the signing of the Beijing Declaration.
Wang Yi pointed out that only when all Palestinian factions speak with one voice can the voice of justice be louder, and only by joining hands and advancing side by side can the cause of national liberation succeed. The most important consensus reached by the Palestinian factions at the Beijing dialogue is to achieve great reconciliation and unity among the 14 factions, the core result is to make it clear that the PLO is the sole legitimate representative of all the Palestinian people, the most prominent highlight is the agreement to form an interim national reconciliation government around the post-war governance of Gaza, and the strongest call is to realize the true independent state of Palestine in accordance with the relevant United Nations resolutions. The key to the process of internal reconciliation among the Palestinian factions is to strengthen confidence, grasp the direction and proceed in an orderly and gradual manner. Only by continuously building consensus and putting it into practice can the reconciliation process become more solid and more united. Reconciliation is an internal affair for all Palestinian factions, and it cannot be separated from the support of the international community. On the road to promoting reconciliation, China and the vast number of Arab and Islamic countries share the same direction and goal.
Wang Yi said that the Palestinian issue is the core of the Middle East issue. China has never had any selfish interests on the question of Palestine, and was one of the first countries to recognize the Palestine Liberation Organization and the State of Palestine. What we value is morality, and what we advocate is justice. At present, the conflict in Gaza is still prolonged, the spillover impact is spreading, and the regional conflict resonates at multiple points. In order to get out of the current conflict, China proposes a “three-step approach”:
The first step is to promote a comprehensive, durable and sustainable ceasefire in the Gaza Strip as soon as possible and to ensure humanitarian assistance and access. The international community should further unite on the issue of a ceasefire and an end to hostilities.
The second step is to uphold the principle of “Palestinians governing Pakistan” and work together to promote post-war governance in Gaza. Gaza is an inseparable and important part of Palestine, and the urgent need to start post-war reconstruction as soon as possible has become an urgent issue in the next phase. The international community should support the Palestinian factions in forming an interim Government of National Consensus to exercise effective control over Gaza Jordan and the West Bank.
The third step is to promote Palestine as a full Member of the United Nations and to begin the implementation of the two-State solution. The convening of a larger, more authoritative and more effective international peace conference should be supported, and a timetable and road map should be drawn up in this regard.
A ceasefire and humanitarian relief are imperative. “Palestinians governing Pakistan” is the basic principle of Gaza’s post-war reconstruction. The two-state solution is the fundamental way forward. The international community should support the parties concerned in implementing the “three-step approach” in a serious manner.
Wang Yi said that the realization of internal reconciliation in Palestine will bring hope and a future to the Palestinian people, and is also an important step in promoting the settlement of the Palestinian issue and achieving peace and stability in the Middle East. China sincerely hopes that all Palestinian factions will achieve an independent Palestinian state on the basis of internal reconciliation at an early date, and is ready to strengthen communication and coordination with all parties concerned and make joint efforts to implement the Beijing Declaration reached today.
Alul, head of the Fatah delegation, and Moussa, head of the Hamas delegation, delivered speeches on behalf of all Palestinian factions, emphasizing that China has a special and important position in the minds of the Palestinian people, and sincerely thanked President Xi Jinping and China for their long-term unwavering support and selfless assistance to Palestine. We highly appreciate China’s commitment as a major country and uphold justice and justice for Palestine in the international community, and express our deep gratitude to China for its strong support for intra-Palestinian reconciliation and dialogue.
Representatives of 14 major Palestinian factions, as well as envoys or representatives of Egypt, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Russia and Turkey attended the closing ceremony.
