Gaza not a bargaining chip for political games, China tells Trump

From Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja

The Chinese government has told United States President Donald Trump that Gaza is not a bargaining chip for political games.

The spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Guo Jiakun, stated this in response to Trump’s proposal to clear out and take over Gaza.

In a regular press conference in Beijing, China, Guo said Gaza belonged to the Palestinian people.

“It is an inalienable part of the territory of Palestine, not a bargaining chip for political games, still less a prey of the strong,” Guo said.

Guo further said the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza has already left Gaza in devastation and suffering.

He stated that the international community, major countries in particular, should join hands to make Gaza better, rather than worse, by providing humanitarian assistance and helping with its reconstruction.

“China firmly supports the legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people, believes that ‘the Palestinians governing Palestine’ is an important principle that must be upheld in the post-conflict governance of Gaza, and opposes the forced displacement of the people of Gaza,” Guo also said.

Guo added that China stood ready to work with the rest of the world for the realisation of the two-state solution as the fundamental way forward, and for an early, just political settlement of the Palestinian question, namely, the establishment of an independent State of Palestine that enjoys full sovereignty based on the 1967 border and with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Guo, however, said China will not comment on relevant United States policies, particularly on Greenland and the Panama Canal.

According to Guo, “China, as always, develops its relations with other countries in accordance with the purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter. We also stand ready to contribute to world peace and development.”

Earlier, Guo said on the Panama Canal issue, China made clear its position more than once.

“China, as always, respects Panama’s sovereignty over the Canal and recognises it as a permanently neutral international waterway. We respect the government of Panama’s management and operation of the Canal. Never ever has China interfered,” Guo explained.