China-Arab States Cooperation Forum: King Mohammed VI commended for his defense of Palestinian cause; Morocco denounced disastrous situation in Gaza

Arab and Chinese Foreign Ministers expressed, their support for the efforts of King Mohammed VI, Chairman of the Al Quds Committee, in defending the Palestinian issue.

This position was expressed in the “Joint Communiqué between China and Arab States on the Palestinian issue”, published Thursday by the 10th Ministerial Conference of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum held in Beijing.

Arab and Chinese Foreign Ministers stressed the importance of the role played by King Mohammed VI in this context, according to the joint communiqué, which also highlighted the efforts made by Bayt Mal Al Quds Agency, the operational arm of the Al Quds Committee.

Head of the Moroccan delegation to the Forum, Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita pointed out in an address that the Palestinian question has reached a dangerous turning point following Israeli aggression against Gaza, which caused thousands of civilian casualties, and stressed that King Mohammed VI has repeatedly called for collective action for an immediate ceasefire, the delivery of aid, and the rejection of forced displacement of Palestinians.

“Based on the commitment of His Majesty King Mohammed VI to peace, and in his capacity as Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, and in parallel with humanitarian aid, the Sovereign has repeatedly called for collective action (…) for an immediate, comprehensive and lasting ceasefire, the delivery of humanitarian aid in a fluid manner and in sufficient quantities for the benefit of the inhabitants of Gaza, and the rejection of the forced displacement of Palestinians”, said Bourita.

“What is happening in Gaza, in addition to its disastrous humanitarian repercussions, represents a real threat to regional security and stability. What is happening in Gaza cannot be accepted, nor passed over in silence. The failure of the international community has an enormous cost,” he said, noting that “it was this inability that encouraged the Israeli army to bomb a camp housing over 100,000 displaced Palestinians near the town of Rafah, killing and wounding dozens of civilians, in flagrant violation of international law and international humanitarian law.”

Similarly, he continued, the inability of the international community has encouraged the transgression of international legality and the violation of all that is tolerable in the eyes of the human conscience, as the King has repeatedly affirmed.

The international community’s procrastination had encouraged the Israeli authorities not to comply with the decision of the International Court of Justice calling on Israel to immediately cease its military operations in Rafah, he added.

The official also affirmed that China, due to its important place within the international community and its balanced and favorable policy towards the various Arab issues, is considered a reliable partner, capable of playing a constructive role in achieving a just and equitable settlement of the Palestinian question, in line with the two-state solution.

On this occasion, Bourita warmly welcomed the “important step” recently taken by some European countries to recognize the State of Palestine, which he deemed a significant step towards the two-state solution as an inevitable framework for establishing a lasting and comprehensive peace, through the establishment of a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders, with Al-Quds Asharif as its capital.

The Beijing conference, which marks the 20th anniversary of the creation of the Forum, represents an important milestone in bilateral cooperation, with both parties determined to raise their cooperation relations to higher levels.

This conference is expected to highlight by the adoption of documents, including the “Beijing Declaration” and the “Forum Action Plan for 2024-2026”.

The Forum provides an opportunity to focus on implementing the consensus reached by the leaders of China and the Arab countries, expanding cooperation between the two sides in various fields, while accelerating the setting up of a China-Arab States community of destiny, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Figures published by China’s official media reveal that trade between China and the Arab world has grown from $36.7 billion in 2004, the year the China-Arab States Forum was established, to $398.1 billion in 2023. This remarkable growth has consolidated China’s position as the Arab world’s undisputed leading trading partner for many years.

China has signed cooperation agreements under the “Belt and Road” framework with all 22 Arab countries. This framework has given rise to over 200 large-scale projects.

In addition, cultural exchanges between China and Arab countries are steadily expanding, with ever-deeper cooperation in language learning and teaching, and frequent bilateral cultural events.