Speech by President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping at the virtual extraordinary summit of BRICS leaders on the Palestinian issue.

Your Excellency President Cyril Ramaphosa,

Colleagues:

This summit is considered the first meeting between the leaders of the BRICS countries after expanding its membership. At the outset, I would like to extend a welcome to the leaders of the new BRICS member states, and to thank President Cyril Ramaphosa and the Government of South Africa for the efforts made in organizing this meeting. In light of the current situation, the voice calling for justice and peace made by the BRICS countries on the Palestinian issue is very necessary and timely.

The Chinese side expresses its deep concern over the conflict in the Gaza Strip that lasted for more than a month, the resulting large number of deaths and injuries among civilians and the humanitarian catastrophe, and its trend towards expansion and extension.

The top priority now is: First, the parties to the conflict must cease fire and end the fighting immediately, stop all acts of violence and attacks against civilians, and release detained civilians, to avoid greater human losses.

Secondly, it is required to ensure the safety and smooth flow of humanitarian relief corridors, provide more humanitarian aid to the residents of the Gaza Strip, and stop collective punishment against them such as forced displacement and cutting off water, electricity and fuel supplies.

Third, the international community must take practical measures to prevent the expansion of the conflict and its impact on stability in the entire Middle East region. The Chinese side supports the resolution on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict that was adopted at the emergency special session of the United Nations General Assembly on October 27. All parties must implement the provisions of UN Security Council Resolution No. 2712, which was adopted under the presidency of China in its capacity as rotating president of the Council, on the ground.

The root cause of the Palestinian-Israeli situation today is the long-standing neglect of the rights of the Palestinian people to establish their state, to remain in their land, and to return. I have emphasized several times that the main way out to break the spiral of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict lies in implementing the “two-state solution,” restoring legitimate Palestinian national rights, and establishing an independent State of Palestine.

Lasting peace and stability in the Middle East cannot be achieved without a just solution to the Palestinian issue. The Chinese side calls for convening a more credible international peace conference as soon as possible to develop an international consensus on peace and advance a comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the Palestinian issue at an early date.

The Chinese side has made commendable efforts to advance peace negotiations, ceasefire and prevent fighting since the outbreak of this round of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. In order to alleviate the humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip, China has provided urgent humanitarian aid worth two million US dollars through the Palestinian National Authority and United Nations agencies, in addition to urgent humanitarian supplies worth 15 million Chinese yuan, including food and medicine, to the Gaza Strip via Egypt. China will continue to provide material assistance according to the needs of the residents of the Gaza Strip. China, in its capacity as rotating president of the UN Security Council for the current month, pushed the Council to adopt the resolution calling for the extension of the humanitarian truce, the duration of humanitarian corridors, the protection of civilians, and the implementation of humanitarian relief operations.

Colleagues!

The BRICS cooperation mechanism is an important platform for enhancing solidarity and cooperation between emerging markets and developing countries and preserving their common interests. Today, we are coordinating positions and taking steps on the Palestinian issue, and this would constitute a good beginning for “cooperation within the framework of the BRICS” after expanding its membership. The Chinese side commends the important contributions made by South Africa, as the rotating chair of BRICS this year, to advance the development of the BRICS issue. Russia will assume the rotating presidency next year, and the Chinese side is keen to work together with other members to support the work of the Russian side, creating a new era for BRICS cooperation.

Thank you all!