Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun on Tuesday rejected Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s claims that China aided Iran’s missile program.
Guo was asked about Netanyahu’s remarks in an interview with CBS’ “60 Minutes,” in which he said China had provided Iran with “a certain amount of support and certain components for missile production,” adding that he “didn’t like it.” Netanyahu declined to elaborate ahead of the planned summit between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Netanyahu on '60 Minutes'
(Video: '60 Minutes')
In response, Guo said: “China has made its position clear many times. As a responsible major country, China has always faithfully fulfilled its international obligations. We are committed to promoting de-escalation and advancing peace talks aimed at ending the conflict, and we oppose accusations that are not based on facts.”
This is not the first recent clash between China and Israel. Last week, a delegation of Knesset members visited Taiwan and met with President Lai Ching-te, prompting a diplomatic attack from Beijing. The Chinese Embassy in Israel issued a particularly harsh statement directly criticizing the lawmakers.
The embassy said the Knesset members had “made erroneous remarks, gravely violated the one-China principle and undermined the political foundation of China-Israel relations. There is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inseparable part of China’s territory.”