China hosts Arab leaders at summit focused on trade and the Israel-Hamas war

By SIMINA MISTREANU
Associated Press

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Chinese President Xi Jinping called for an international peace conference focused on the Israel-Hamas war and promised more humanitarian aid as he opened a summit with Arab leaders. He said, “As war is raging causing tremendous suffering, justice can’t be absent and the two-state solution can’t be shaken.” The China-Arab States Cooperation Forum that opened Thursday was attended by heads of state from Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Tunisia, Bahrain and others. Xi called for deeper cooperation in areas such as trade, clean energy, space exploration and health care. Beijing and the Arab states back the Palestinians in the Israel-Hamas conflict, where Israel is facing growing international condemnation.