China receives invitation to join Board of Peace for Gaza

BEIJING: China on Tuesday said it has received an invitation from the US to join President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace for Gaza, but declined to say whether it will join the initiative.

China has received the US’ invitation, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said when asked about China’s position on the establishment of the Gaza “Board of Peace” and whether China has received an invitation to join it.

He declined to say to whom the invitation was addressed or whether China would join the board, described by Trump as a “bold new approach to resolving Global Conflict”.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his Pakistani counterpart Shehbaz Sharif and Russian President Vladimir Putin have also received invitations to join the Peace Board. Several other countries have received similar offers.

The US president unveiled the board as part of the second phase of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

In October, Israel and militant group Hamas agreed to Trump’s peace plan.