Vice premier: China urges immediate stop of military operations in Gaza
KUWAIT CITY, Dec. 28 (Xinhua) -- China urges parties concerned to immediate stop the military operations in the Gaza Strip, and take effective measures to ease the tension, visiting Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang said here Sunday.
Li, who is paying a four-day official visit to Kuwait, exchanged views with Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaberal-Sabah on the situation in Gaza after Israel carried out massive air strikes against dozens of targets in Gaza early Saturday.
Early on Sunday Israel continued airstrikes on different targets belong to Islamic Hamas movement and its government in the Gaza Strip, leaving 271 people killed and several hundred injured since Saturday, in response to Hamas ongoing cross-border rockets attacks.
Li said China is shocked and serious concerned about the current military operations in Gaza which caused heavy casualties.
He said the Middle East peace process has drawn worldwide attention, and the international community has put great efforts to solve the issue. However, the parties concerned used force to solve their differences and caused heavy civilian casualties. "This runs counter to the efforts made by the international community."
The Chinese vice premier urged the two sides, Israel and the Palestinians, mainly Hamas, to resolve their differences through dialogue and realize peace and stability in the Middle East as early as possible.
Li stressed that China, as one of the permanent members of the UN, has always been concerned about and supports the Middle East peace process.
"China supports the efforts made by all parties, especially the Arab countries, to realize a comprehensive, just peace in the region," he said.
Emir Al-Sabah expressed deep regret over the consequences of the incident. He said he appreciates China's just position on the Middle East issue, and hopes to work with China to ease the current tensions and promote peace in the region.
Li pays the visit to Kuwait at the invitation of Kuwaiti First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Sheikh Jaber MubarakAl-Hamad Al-Sabah.
Kuwait is the final leg of Li's 11-day overseas visit, his first foreign visit since he took office as vice premier in March, which has already taken him to Indonesia and Egypt.
Chinese vice premier arrives in Kuwait on official visit
Visiting Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang(L in front) walks out of the Kuwaiti International Airport with a welcome delegation headed by Kuwaiti First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah(R in front) in Kuwait, Dec. 27, 2008. (Xinhua Photo)
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KUWAIT CITY, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- At the invitation of Kuwaiti First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang arrived here Saturday evening on a four-day official visit.
Li said in a statement delivered at the airport that he is delighted to pay an official visit to Kuwait, noting that the relationship between China and Kuwait, especially in the fields of trade, energy, finance and culture, has witnessed remarkable growth since the two forged diplomatic relations in 1971.
Israel strikes Gaza for second day, killing over 285
GAZA, Dec. 28 (Xinhua) -- Israel on Sunday continued intensive air strikes on the besieged Gaza Strip for the second successive day, killing 285 Palestinians so far in a powerful offensive aimed to halt nearly daily cross-border rocket attacks.
"The death toll so far is 285 and is subject to increase," said Mu'awia Hassanien, director of emergencies at the health ministry, adding that 900 have been wounded, 180 of them seriously.
