China: All countries have the right to self-defense

“All countries have the right to self-defense,” Wang Yi told Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen. But he noted that “international humanitarian law must be followed and the safety of civilians protected.”

China’s top diplomat also stressed that China will “do its best” to support measures “aimed at peace.”

China has so far avoided explicitly distancing itself from the bloody Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, which killed more than 1,400 Israelis, most of them civilians. In addition, more than 200 people were taken hostage.

In the past, Wang Yi claimed that Israel’s response to the attacks went beyond mere self-defense.

The United States expressed hope that China’s friendship with Iran, which supports Hamas, would help calm the conflict. Earlier this year, Beijing successfully eased tensions between Iran and arch-enemy Saudi Arabia.

Wang told Cohen that the most pressing issue now is to prevent the situation from escalating further and the humanitarian situation worsening.

He also stressed China’s position that a two-state solution is the only viable solution to the conflict.