Sino-French Joint Statement on the Situation in the Middle East

Xinhua News Agency, Paris, May 6 th

Sino-French Joint Statement on the Situation in the Middle East

At the invitation of President Emmanuel Macron of the French Republic, the Supreme Leader of President People’s Republic of China (PRC) paid a state visit to France from May 5 to 7, 2024. The two heads of state exchanged in-depth views on the situation in the Middle East:

1. As permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, China and France are committed to seeking constructive solutions based on international law and responding to challenges and threats to international security and stability.

2. China and France condemn all violations of international humanitarian law, including all acts of terrorist violence and indiscriminate attacks against civilians. The two countries reaffirmed the absolute necessity of protecting civilians in Gaza based on international humanitarian law. The two heads of state oppose Israel’s attack on Rafah, which will lead to a larger-scale humanitarian disaster, and also oppose the forced relocation of Palestinian civilians.

3. The two heads of state stressed that the urgent task is to immediately achieve a sustainable ceasefire and ensure the provision of large-scale humanitarian assistance and the protection of civilians in the Gaza Strip; Call for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, ensure humanitarian access, address their medical and other humanitarian needs, and abide by international law for all detainees; Call for the immediate and effective implementation of relevant UN resolutions, especially UN Security Council resolutions 2712, 2720 and 2728. This is the only credible way to guarantee peace and security for all, and to ensure that both Palestinians and Israelis will not suffer from the terrible experience since the attack on October 7, 2023.

4. The two heads of state called for the effective opening of all necessary passages and border crossings, so as to provide rapid, safe, sustainable and unimpeded humanitarian assistance throughout Gaza. The two heads of state emphasized the importance of strengthening coordination of international humanitarian efforts.

5. The two heads of state called on all parties to avoid taking unilateral measures on the ground that may aggravate tensions, and condemned Israel’s policy of building settlements in violation of international law, which will pose a major obstacle to lasting peace and the possibility of establishing a viable and territorially coherent Palestinian state in the future. The two heads of state reiterated that the future governance of Gaza cannot be divorced from the comprehensive political settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict based on the "two-state solution".

6. The two heads of state called for the resumption of the political process in a decisive and irreversible way, the concrete implementation of the "two-state plan", ensuring the peaceful and safe coexistence of Israel and Palestine as neighbors, and establishing a viable, independent and sovereign Palestinian state on the basis of the 1967 borders with Jerusalem as its capital. The two heads of state reaffirmed their commitment to this plan, which is the only way to respond to the reasonable expectations of the Palestinian and Israeli people for lasting peace and security.

7. The two heads of state also expressed deep concern about the risk of escalation of the regional situation and called for avoiding regional turmoil. China and France are working with their partners to push the situation down and call on all parties to exercise restraint.

8. China and France reaffirmed their commitment to promoting a political and diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear issue. The Comprehensive Iranian Nuclear Agreement (JCPOA) reached in 2015 is an important achievement of multilateral diplomacy. Concerned about the risk of escalating the situation, the two countries reiterated the importance of cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, promoting diplomatic efforts, and committed themselves to maintaining the international nuclear non-proliferation system and promoting peace and stability in the Middle East.

9. The two heads of state stressed the importance of maintaining freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, and called for the immediate cessation of attacks on civilian ships in order to safeguard maritime security and global trade and prevent regional tensions and humanitarian and environmental risks.

10. The two heads of state called for observing the Olympic Truce during the 2024 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Olympic Truce calls on all parties to stop hostilities throughout the Olympic Games. With the spread of conflicts and the intensification of tensions, the truce is an opportunity to commit to a lasting settlement of conflicts with full respect for international law.