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Chinese Endeavor to Hold International Conference to Resume Peace Negotiations between Palestinians, Israel

China’s special envoy to the Middle East Zhai Jun
China’s special envoy to the Middle East Zhai Jun
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Chinese Endeavor to Hold International Conference to Resume Peace Negotiations between Palestinians, Israel

China’s special envoy to the Middle East Zhai Jun
China’s special envoy to the Middle East Zhai Jun

China’s special envoy to the Middle East Zhai Jun revealed his country’s endeavor to mobilize international efforts to immediately stop the Israeli war on Gaza.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat on the sidelines of his visit to Riyadh, the Chinese diplomat said that his talks with Saudi officials highlighted a convergence of views and a common desire to increase coordination and bilateral consultations toward stopping the Israeli attack on Gaza.

He added that he would also visit Jordan to rally efforts to achieve a ceasefire and calm the situation, stressing that the Palestinian people have equal rights to establish an independent state.

The Chinese official said that the only means to resolve the Palestinian issue lies in implementing the two-state solution and restoring the legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people. He added that violence and counter-violence only lead to falling into a vicious circle and create more obstacles to the political solution.

Zhai Jun said that China calls for holding an international peace conference with more credibility, on a broader scale, and with greater effectiveness, to urgently push the Palestinian and Israeli sides to resume peace negotiations and set a detailed timetable and road map.

He noted that true and lasting peace and security for all in the Middle East region cannot be achieved except after finding a comprehensive and just solution to the Palestinian cause.

The Chinese official stressed that his country will continue to support the Palestinian people to restore their legitimate national rights and establish their independent state.

He went on to say that since the outbreak of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the Chinese side has been making intense efforts to achieve a ceasefire and prevent more violence.

In this regard, he told Asharq Al-Awsat that a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, held several meetings and made extensive phone calls for this purpose with the foreign ministers and senior political figures of Palestine, Israel, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkiye, Russia, the United States, Brazil, Malaysia, and others.

A meeting was also held with the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, to shed light on China’s position and vision towards the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

According to Zhai Jun, China strongly condemns and opposes all actions that target civilians and violate international law, and calls for an immediate ceasefire, the protection of civilians, and the opening of humanitarian relief corridors, to ensure the arrival of living necessities to the residents of the Gaza Strip.

The Chinese official held the United Nations and the UN Security Council responsible for calming the situation as quickly as possible, stressing that the international community must act urgently and provide more humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. In the same context, he called for major powers to move to calm the situation and commit to objectivity and justice.

The Chinese diplomat stated that his country provided urgent humanitarian assistance through both the Palestinian National Authority and United Nations agencies, and will continue to deliver material assistance according to the needs of the residents of the Gaza Strip.

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FAO Official: Gulf States Shielded Themselves from Major Shocks

David Laborde, Director of the Agrifood Economics Division at the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
David Laborde, Director of the Agrifood Economics Division at the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
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FAO Official: Gulf States Shielded Themselves from Major Shocks

David Laborde, Director of the Agrifood Economics Division at the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
David Laborde, Director of the Agrifood Economics Division at the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

David Laborde, Director of the Agrifood Economics Division at the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), told Asharq al-Awsat that global hunger increased sharply during the coronavirus pandemic, noting that the GCC countries were able to shield themselves from major shocks affecting food security.
Laborde added that global hunger affected over 152 million people, with no improvement in the past two years.
Today, 733 million people suffer from chronic hunger, and 2.3 billion face food insecurity, according to the UN annual report on “The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World.”

Laborde explained that the global economic crisis has worsened food insecurity, keeping hunger levels high.
Alongside this, climate shocks and conflicts are major causes of hunger. He also pointed out that food insecurity is closely tied to inequality, and the economic crisis, rising living costs, and high interest rates are deepening existing inequalities both within and between countries.
On whether economic diversification in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries is boosting food security, Laborde said: “A move towards a more diversified economy and enhancing the ability to rely on various sources of food supplies are key drivers of food security resilience and stability.”
“GCC countries have managed to shield themselves from major shocks, primarily due to their high income levels and ability to cover import costs without difficulty,” he explained.
Regarding the FAO’s outlook on reducing global hunger, Laborde insisted that ending hunger will require a significant increase in funding.
When asked for suggestions on how governments could enhance food security, Laborde said: “Despite global figures remaining stable, improvements are seen in Asia and Latin America, showing that the right policies and conditions can reduce numbers.”
“Hunger is not inevitable. Investing in social safety nets to protect the poor, along with making structural changes to food systems to be more environmentally friendly, resilient, and equitable, is the right path forward,” emphasized Laborde.
The annual State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report, published on Wednesday, said about 733 million people faced hunger in 2023 – one in 11 people globally and one in five in Africa.
Hunger and food insecurity present critical challenges affecting millions globally.
The annual report, released this year during the G20 Global Alliance for Hunger and Poverty Task Force ministerial meeting in Brazil, warns that the world is significantly lagging in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 2—ending hunger by 2030.
It highlights that global progress has regressed by 15 years, with malnutrition levels comparable to those seen in 2008-2009.
Despite some progress in areas like stunting and exclusive breastfeeding, a troubling number of people still face food insecurity and malnutrition, with global hunger levels rising.