China calls for political settlement of Middle East issue at Security Council meeting

China's permanent representative to the United Nations Fu Cong on Thursday called for a political settlement of the Middle East issue and expressed support for Arab countries in playing a greater role to help de-escalate the situation as soon as possible.

Fu made his statement at the UN Security Council conference on cooperation between the UN and the League of Arab States.

"The history of the Middle East tells the world time and again that force provides no solution and a political settlement is the only viable way out. Arab countries possess distinct advantages in addressing the Middle East issue, rooted in their geographical location, history and religion, and they have inherited the wisdom of peace from their long-standing civilizations. The international community should support the Arab League and Arab countries in actively engaging in conflict prevention and mediation. Relevant UN agencies, secretary-general's special envoys and special representatives should strengthen communication and coordination with Arab countries to form a united front. The Security Council should value the Arab League's opinions and support resolving regional issues through regional means," said Fu.

Fu also stressed that China opposes external forces' interference in Middle East tensions.

"The Middle East belongs to the people of the Middle East; it is not an arena for major-power rivalry. The international community should fully respect the independent choices of the people of the Middle East, pay attention to reasonable concerns of countries in the region, support countries in the Middle East in resolving longstanding conflicts and enhancing unity and cooperation, exploring development paths suited to their own national conditions, and holding their future and destiny in their own hands," he said.

Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and several other Iranian cities on Feb. 28, killing Iran's then Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, along with senior military commanders and civilians. Iran responded with waves of missile and drone strikes against Israel and U.S. assets in the Middle East, while tightening control over the Strait of Hormuz by restricting passage to vessels belonging to or affiliated with Israel and the United States.

China calls for political settlement of Middle East issue at Security Council meeting

China calls for political settlement of Middle East issue at Security Council meeting

At least one person has died and several others have been hospitalized after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake hit Indonesia’s Maluku Strait early on Thursday morning, with the quake also causing varying degrees of damage to multiple buildings in Manado, the capital city of the North Sulawesi province. The quake struck at 06:48 local time Thursday at a magnitude of 7.4 and a depth of 30 kilometers, according to measurements by the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC).

There were scenes of panic outside a hospital in Manado when the quake hit, with several seconds of intense shaking causing cracks to appear in the building of the medical facility which belongs to the Siloam private healthcare group.

Patients and medical staff were urgently evacuated to the roadside, with some seen in wheelchairs or still connected to intravenous (IV) drips, while others were even pushed out of the wards on their hospital beds. A car parked downstairs was hit by falling debris, shattering its windows.

"Some people were sleeping at the time, some had just undergone surgery, and others were receiving treatment. The earthquake damaged the hospital's ceiling, and I also saw some cracks in the walls," said Billy Lombok, the family member of a patient.

A tsunami warning was issued but later lifted following the quake as Indonesian authorities observed no significant sea level changes.

Patients rushed out from hospital building as 7.4-magnitude quake hits Indonesia, killing one