Fu Cong, serving as China’s Ambassador to the UN, spoke July 17 at the UNSC meeting chaired by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, on the crisis in the Middle East. Fu’s remarks followed the powerful opening by Lavrov, who laid the blame for the conflict in the region at the feet of the U.S.’s hegemonic policy and called instead for a “frank and honest discussion” in order to secure an end to the fighting. Fu condemned the “unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe” which is not creating the conditions for any of Israel’s hostages to be returned. “We urge Israel to immediately cease all military operations in Gaza and to stop the collective punishment of the people of Gaza,” he said.
The ambassador said that China supports the establishment of an independent Palestinian State and a “Palestine governed by Palestinians,” and called for the convening of an “international peace conference.”
