Posted on 10/09/23
| News Source: Arutz-7
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Schumer said Monday he was grateful for a strengthened statement from China condemning the killing and kidnapping of Israeli and foreign civilians by Hamas, issued during a bipartisan congressional visit to Beijing that included a lengthy meeting with President Xi Jinping.
Schumer led a delegation of six senators to China for talks aimed at stabilizing ties following a sharp deterioration in recent years over trade, U.S. support for self-governing Taiwan, human rights and other issues. The delegation, which included three Democrats and three Republicans, was the first visit by U.S. lawmakers since 2019 and came at a time of growing attacks on China in Congress as America contends with Beijing’s rise as a global power.
Schumer told Foreign Minister Wang Yi earlier in the day that he had been very disappointed by China’s failure to strongly condemn the attack on Israel and show sympathy for the country and its people.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said later Monday that China is “deeply saddened by the civilian casualties caused by the conflict between Palestine and Israel.”
“China opposes and condemns acts that harm civilians,” along with actions that “expand conflict and undermine regional stability,” Mao said, going beyond an initial Foreign Ministry statement on Sunday.
China hopes for a resumption of peace talks, the implementation of a two-state solution, and a “comprehensive and proper settlement of the Palestinian issue, which guarantees the legitimate concerns of all parties, through political means, as early as possible,” Mao said at a daily briefing.
The Chinese Embassy in Israel said a young woman of Israeli and Chinese heritage was among the scores of hostages seized by Hamas fighters, who killed at least 800 people in Israel.
“Noa was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists when attending a peace music festival in southern Israel. She was dragged from Israel to Gaza,” an embassy statement said. “She is a daughter, a sister and a friend.”