BEIJING, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- China plays an important role in humanitarian efforts in the Middle East, and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) looks forward to deepening cooperation with China in this regard in the future, a senior ICRC official has said.
Nicolas von Arx, regional director of the ICRC for the Near and Middle East, made the remarks in a recent interview with Xinhua in Beijing during his visit to China.
For some time, the situation in the Middle East has been dire, with people being displaced and separated from their families, infrastructure destroyed, and access to basic services severely constrained, Von Arx said.
Von Arx said that he highly appreciated China's role in the humanitarian cause in the Middle East, noting that China has made important contributions to humanitarian assistance in both the Gaza Strip and Syria in recent years.
Last year, China pledged 100 million U.S. dollars in aid to Palestine to help ease the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and support recovery and reconstruction. After a powerful earthquake struck Türkiye and Syria in 2023, China delivered humanitarian supplies to both countries.
Von Arx expressed gratitude for China's support and cooperation with the ICRC, and commended the country's respect for international humanitarian law. In September 2024, China, along with five other countries and the ICRC, jointly launched a high-level global initiative to galvanize political commitment in support of international humanitarian law.
During his visit to China, Von Arx held meetings with officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and embassies, as well as representatives of various think tanks.
At a meeting with Zhai Jun, special envoy of the Chinese government concerning the Middle East issue, the two sides exchanged views on the humanitarian situation in Gaza, Syria and Yemen.
He further said that the ICRC looks forward to more cooperation with China in terms of humanitarian efforts in the Middle East. "I hope we can deepen this engagement," he said. "Be it through the diplomatic missions, in the field or elsewhere, I think this is a multilayer relationship that we cherish and that we want to strengthen over time." ■
