KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia and China have reaffirmed that Palestinians deserve their rights to self-determination, including the right to an independent state of Palestine.
In a joint statement today, both leaders Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and China Premier Li Qiang also urged the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to reconsider Palestine's application for full membership, in line with the resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly on May 10, 2024.
Both leaders also expressed full support for the resumption of the political settlement process on the basis of the two-state solution, as well as promoting comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Palestinian question at an early date.
"Both leaders expressed grave concern with the ongoing war in Gaza, the dire and rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation and its grave impact on the civilian population.
"Both sides emphasised that civilians in Gaza must be protected, in line with international law and urged for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, unimpeded humanitarian assistance and protection of humanitarian relief and medical personnel," the statement read.
Previously, China Foreign Minister Wang Yi has called for a larger-scale, more authoritative and effective international peace conference and a concrete timetable to implement a two-state solution.
Wang also held talks with the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States where the two sides had an in-depth exchange of views on the conflict, reaching several points on helping to solve the crisis.
Meanwhile, Anwar has previously called for the reform of the United Nations (UN) and said the international organisation was still stuck with an old system following veto power given to its five permanent members of the Security Council following the ongoing war in Gaza.
Anwar said the veto power held by the five countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, had outlived its purpose.