China's top diplomat Wang Yi to visit UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan

ISTANBUL

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi will embark on a three-nation trip to the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan this week, an official statement said Thursday.

The five-day trip will begin on Friday, with the first stop likely in Abu Dhabi, which comes at the invitation of Wang’s UAE counterpart Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.

Later, Wang will travel to Riyadh at the invitation of Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud.

It added that the Chinese foreign minister will conclude his regional tour next week in Amman, visiting Jordan at the invitation of the country's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi.

China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said Beijing has "profound traditional friendship" with these three nations.

During his meetings, Wang will exchange views on bilateral ties, the Middle East, and other issues of mutual interest, Guo told reporters.

The talks will aim at "consolidating" political mutual trust, enhancing "synergy," and upgrading bilateral relations, the spokesman added.

Wang and his counterparts will also discuss preparations for the second China-Arab states summit set to be hosted by Beijing next year, said Guo. The first such summit was held in Riyadh in 2022.

Notably, the trip comes amid an Israeli-US push for a "Board of Peace" (BoP) in the Palestinian enclave of Gaza, which has been under onslaught by Israel that killed more than 70,000 people, mostly women and children, and injured nearly 171,000 others since October 2023.

Though the Israeli war on Palestinians came to a halt under a ceasefire deal that took effect on Oct. 10, Tel Aviv has violated the pact several times over the past two months.

On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump said the board, to be comprised of global leaders, will be announced early next year.

The board is a key component of Trump's ceasefire deal for the besieged Gaza Strip, though key details, including its membership, have yet to be announced. It is slated to play an assisting role in the administration of Gaza under the terms of the deal.

The UN Security Council last month adopted a US-drafted resolution, establishing a transitional BoP and authorizing an International Stabilization Force (ISF) to oversee governance, reconstruction, and security efforts in Gaza.

The resolution passed with 13 votes, while Russia and China abstained. It authorizes the ISF and the BoP until Dec. 31, 2027.

Beijing has stressed that any post-conflict arrangement for Gaza should reflect the fundamental principle of "the Palestinians governing Palestine" and must adhere to the two-state solution.