Beijing declaration paves way for peace in Middle East

Muhammad Zamir Assadi 

With the intense negotiations and dialogues for three days in China, rival and influential factions of Palestine including Hamas and Fatah have signed the Beijing Declaration to strengthen the national unity by putting a full stop to the long-standing divisions.

The event of signing Beijing declaration was widely attended by the representatives of other countries including Egypt, Algeria, Saudi Arab, Qatar, Syria, Lebanon, Russia and Türkiye that attaches the great significance as it shows that Muslim countries and all the key players of Middle East have a growing trust in Chinese diplomacy at a time when the diplomatic influence of US and EU is crippling in this part of the world.

The declaration has agreed to concede Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) as a sole legitimate representative of Palestine and agreed on terms and conditions for the rule over the formation of interim government with the national reconciliation at the end of Gaza war.

The reconciliation process between Palestinian factions facilitated by Chinese diplomatic norms and values have provided a united and strong leadership to Palestine people while China have emerged as a peacemaker by drawing the global attention.

With China’s economic performance contributing to global economy, now China has shown its increasing diplomatic influence as a mediator in the same domain that was earlier dominated by other western nations.

The peaceful rise of unique diplomatic character of China is providing an alternate opportunity to other hotspot issues of the world to be settled down with the help of Beijing including the Ukrainian crisis and interestingly the world is responding to it. In just last 16 months, Beijing has basketed the second peace deal that is solidifying China’s role as a reliable mediator as it has taken the responsibility as a major country to exercise its position and close connections in Middle East for ending unresolved disputes.  

As a permanent member of UN Security Council, China has been pushing efforts for the resolution of Palestine issue and is achieving good results that are not only being recognized and praised by international community but it is also understood and supported by Arab world and all the peace-loving nations.

To the question why the Palestinian factions trusted China for ending their divisions that were considered as never ending, the answer is very straight, as the China’s role for the historic peace deal between Saudi Arab and Iran have changed the Middle East narratives and proved that Beijing has always helped to establish durable peace in this region without attaching any political strings to it and has been recognized as the sincere and trustworthy friend of Arab countries.

The peace deal between Palestinian factions shows that China is actively seeking peaceful resolutions of international conflicts and disputes.

Historically, China has supported the liberation of oppressed nations and resolutely opposed imperialism, hegemonism, colonialism and racism. This foreign policy of peace won China broad support and friendship in the world and went a long way toward easing and stabilizing the international situation.

This foreign policy of non-confrontation has also been contributing to the cause of peace around the globe and development for the shared future of mankind based on peaceful co-existence.

The world today is facing serious deficits in peace so the important aspect of China’s international diplomatic moves is helping the world to solve the pressing problems of peace and stability under the umbrella of global security initiative.

The agreement of Beijing declaration by concerned parties have given a strong message to the international community that Palestinian factions have the realization that close bond and unity can help them in raising the voice of justice and the moto of national independence can only be successful when they all will be stepping forward by joining hands together.

(The writer is editor China desk with Internews Pakistan and media fellow of China International Press and Communication Centre)