BEIJING: China prepared on Monday (Oct 16) to host representatives of 130 countries for a forum that will be overshadowed by the Israel-Gaza war, as an increasingly assertive Beijing is asked to help de-escalate the violence.
At the top of the invite list to China's Belt and Road Initiative forum is Russia's President Vladimir Putin, on his first trip to a major global power since the Ukraine invasion threw his regime into international isolation.
Under heavy Israeli bombardment of the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, more than one million people have fled their homes in scenes of chaos and despair. Beijing has been criticised by Western officials for not specifically naming Hamas in its statements on the Israel-Gaza conflict. "Any head of state that attends the summit, it's almost as if they agree with Beijing's positions on these global issues," she said.A number of leaders have already arrived in Beijing ahead of the two-day forum, which kicks off Tuesday.
This year, trade between China and Russia has soared to levels not seen since the beginning of Moscow's war in Ukraine, with Chinese imports of Russian oil offering Moscow a critical lifeline as international sanctions bite.
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