Foreign Minister Wang Yi hosted the Chinese Foreign Ministry's 2025 New Year reception at the Beijing Performing Arts Center on Friday.
The event was attended by Yin Li, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, along with diplomatic envoys from various countries, representatives of international organizations in China, and representatives of Chinese government departments. Around 400 people attended the event in total.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, said that China's foreign service has held high the banner of building a community with a shared future for mankind, strived for peace, and fulfilled its responsibility for development. China's diplomatic efforts have brought more stability and positive energy to a turbulent world, he added.
Wang noted that in the past year, diplomatic envoys and representatives of international organizations have visited different parts of China to build bridges of friendship between the peoples, and devoted and contributed their strength to the friendship and cooperation between China and the countries they represent.
China will work with all countries to bear in mind the well-being of the entire world and rise above estrangement and conflict. "Together, let us promote friendship and cooperation, enhance mutual learning among different cultures, and build a community with a shared future for mankind," he said.
Martin Mpana, dean of the foreign diplomatic corps in China and Cameroon's ambassador to China, sent best wishes to the Chinese people for a happy New Year on behalf of the diplomatic corps.
He said that China's diplomacy demonstrates its responsibility as a major country and makes important contributions to addressing the growing uncertainties and challenges in the world.
Countries around the world are willing to deepen friendship, intensify exchanges and strengthen cooperation with China to build a community with a shared future for mankind, he said.
Chinese Foreign Ministry hosts 2025 Chinese New Year reception
An official of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has condemned Israel for demolishing the buildings within the UN agency's East Jerusalem compound.
Israeli authorities stormed the Sheikh Jarrah compound of UNRWA last week. After a full day of demolition, all buildings inside the compound had been flattened or severely damaged. Israeli flags were seen raised at the site, while the United Nations (UN) flag had been taken down.
Olaf Becker, director of UNRWA affairs in Jordan, said the Israeli action gravely violates international law and poses challenges to the operations of UN agencies.
Expressing his deep concerns over Israel's unilateral action, Becker said UNRWA will continue its work in the region and make every effort to ensure that basic public services for Palestinian refugees are not interrupted.
"It's obviously in contravention to international law. It's in contravention to Israel's obligations under the UN Charter as well. While Sheikh Jarrah is highly symbolic, and of course it really impedes our ability for our leadership to operate and coordinate activities. We have offices around the West Bank as well, and we are still operational in those places," Becker said.
Following the demolition, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the compound "does not enjoy any immunity", and that the action complied with the law.
In response, Becker said Israel's denial of the privileges and immunity of UN agencies would directly undermine the legal foundation of the UN system, warning long-term impacts on UN agencies' ability to independently and effectively fulfill their duties within the framework of international law in the Middle East and globally, and worrying consequences for the UN and the multilateral system.
Israel considers all of Jerusalem as its capital, a claim not recognized internationally, while the UN regards East Jerusalem as occupied territory. Israeli officials have long accused UNRWA of employing Hamas members, which the agency denies.
In October 2024, the Israeli parliament passed a law banning UNRWA, which provides desperately-needed aid to Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank and other areas, from operating in areas under Israeli jurisdiction, and prohibiting Israeli authorities from maintaining contact or cooperation with the agency, a move UNRWA and international bodies say violates international law. Israel then amended the law in December 2025 to ban electricity or water to UNRWA facilities.
Last month, Israeli authorities seized UNRWA's offices in East Jerusalem.
UNRWA official condemns Israeli demolition of agency’s buildings in East Jerusalem
