China categorically rejects Israel’s settlement policy, deeming it illegal and an obstacle to peace. This stance is part of Beijing’s broader strategic vision for the Middle East, through which China seeks to present itself as a responsible superpower and a credible peace broker that upholds international multilateralism and international law, in contrast to what it perceives as blatant American bias toward Israel at the expense of international justice and humanity. The People’s Republic of China maintains a firm diplomatic position opposing Israel’s settlement policy in the Palestinian territories, consistently demanding a halt to settlement expansion and its reversal, as it undermines the two-state solution and the prospects for establishing an independent and geographically contiguous Palestinian state. China’s position on the Israeli settlement issue was clarified by Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s statement calling on Israeli President Isaac Herzog to halt and reverse the forced construction of settlements in the West Bank. This stance comes amidst ongoing UN warnings about the repercussions of settlement expansion on Palestinians and the possibility of establishing a geographically contiguous Palestinian state. These remarks, made by Wang Yi to Herzog on the sidelines of meetings in Azerbaijan (according to a statement issued by the Chinese Foreign Ministry), reaffirm China’s consistent official position on the conflict. During the meeting in Azerbaijan, Wang Yi informed Herzog of the necessity to stop and reverse the forced construction of settlements in the West Bank. The most prominent details of the Chinese position on the Israeli settlement issue are, as follows:
1) China considers the Palestinian issue a historical injustice: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi affirmed that China considers the Palestinian issue the greatest historical injustice of this century, demanding a halt to and reversal of the forced settlement expansion in the West Bank. China has made direct and public demands to the Israeli leadership to stop the forced construction of Israeli settlements. Beijing emphasizes its categorical rejection of measures aimed at changing the geographic and demographic character of the occupied territories.
2) The Palestinian issue is a cornerstone of Chinese policy in the Middle East: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi stressed that promoting peace and reconciliation in the Middle East is a cornerstone of China’s foreign policy toward the region.
3) China’s Response to Calls and Warnings Against Israeli Settlement Expansion: This Chinese stance aligns with international condemnation and ongoing UN warnings about the dangers of settlement expansion to the rights of the Palestinian people and the prospects for achieving a just peace and establishing a geographically contiguous Palestinian state. China, through its Foreign Minister Wang Yi, has repeatedly called on Israel to halt and reverse its forced settlement construction in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
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4) China’s Emphasis on the Two-State Solution and the Situation in Gaza: The Chinese side affirmed that the two-state solution is the correct political path to resolving the conflict, emphasizing the urgent need to ensure full access for humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip to prevent the worsening of the crisis. China believes that settlement expansion undermines the possibility of establishing an independent and geographically contiguous Palestinian state and stresses that the two-state solution is the only just political path to a settlement.
5) China’s Call for Dialogue: Beijing has expressed its readiness to cooperate with the international community to urge the parties to return to the path of negotiation and political dialogue. It emphasizes that achieving stability and peaceful intervention in the Middle East begins with ending this injustice.
6) China’s Support for the Palestinian Cause in International Forums: China regularly votes in favor of UN resolutions that condemn settlements and consider them a flagrant violation of international law and Security Council resolutions.
7) China’s Link Between De-escalation and a Halt to Settlement Activity: Beijing considers a halt to settlement activity and settler violence in the West Bank a fundamental condition for de-escalating the situation and preventing the conflict from spreading, in parallel with efforts to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip.
Here, we can identify the most prominent features of the Chinese position and its recent developments regarding the issue of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem through:
– First: China’s Absolute Rejection of the Forced Displacement of Palestinians
1) Gaza for the Palestinians and the Principle of Self-Governance: Beijing expresses strong and consistent opposition to any plans or proposals aimed at the forced displacement of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip or the West Bank. It upholds the slogan “Palestinians govern Palestine” as the fundamental principle for managing the affairs of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank (considering them a single, indivisible geographical unit).
2) Rejection of External and Internal Displacement: China rejects the destruction of infrastructure that makes the return of residents impossible (internal displacement). It also coordinates its political positions with key regional states, such as Egypt, to present a united front against plans to displace Palestinians from their land.
– Second: Beijing’s Political Dimensions and Principles
1) The Developmental Peace Alternative: China promotes the developmental peace model and comprehensive political solutions. This was evident in its sponsorship of Palestinian-Palestinian reconciliation through the Beijing Declaration, demonstrating its diplomatic capacity to unify the Palestinian ranks as a proactive step towards establishing a Palestinian state.
2) The Two-State Solution and International Legitimacy: China believes that settlement activity and displacement undermine the political foundation of the two-state solution. It calls for the establishment of a fully sovereign and independent Palestinian state within the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
3) Geopolitical Competition: China leverages its consistent moral and legal stance on Palestinian rights to bolster its influence in the Global South and the Arab and Islamic worlds, capitalizing on the relative decline in American credibility in the region due to Washington’s unconditional support for Israeli policies.
– Third: China’s direct demand to halt the forced construction of Israeli settlements
In a direct diplomatic confrontation, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi informed Israeli President Isaac Herzog, during a meeting held in Azerbaijan in October 2026, of the necessity to immediately halt and reverse the forced construction of settlements in the West Bank.
– Fourth: China’s vision of the Palestinian issue
1) The greatest historical injustice: The Chinese Foreign Ministry officially described the Palestinian issue as the greatest historical injustice of this century.
2) The two-state solution: Beijing affirms that the two-state solution is the only correct path to a political settlement of the conflict.
3) A cornerstone of foreign policy: China considers promoting peace and reconciliation in the Middle East to be the cornerstone of its diplomatic policy in the region.
– Fifth: China’s Link Between Israeli Settlements and the Situation in Gaza
Chinese diplomacy links the escalation of settlement activity in the West Bank to the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip since 2023. Beijing demands:
1) An immediate halt to the escalation and forced settlement activities.
2) Full and unconditional access for humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip to prevent the humanitarian catastrophe from worsening.
3) Urging the international community to bring the parties back to the negotiating table for political consultations as soon as possible.
Accordingly, we understand that these firm Chinese positions come at a time when UN and international reports document a sharp increase in the establishment of new Israeli settlement outposts, forced displacement, and settler violence against Palestinians and their property in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
