China FM slams 'indiscriminate attacks' on civilians in talks with Lebanese counterpart

China's Wang Yi supports Lebanon, condemns attacks on civilians, opposes violence, and calls for peace in the Middle East.

China's top diplomat Wang Yi expressed support for Lebanon and condemned what he termed "indiscriminate attacks against civilians", Beijing's Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday (September 24, 2024).

Meeting his Lebanese counterpart in New York, Mr. Wang said: "We pay close attention to developments in the region, especially the recent explosion of communications equipment in Lebanon, and firmly oppose indiscriminate attacks against civilians."

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Last week, a series of coordinated communications device blasts across Lebanon killed 39 people and wounded almost 3,000.

And on Monday, Israeli air strikes killed 492 people, including 35 children and 58 women, and wounded 1,645 others in the country, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry.

That bombardment was the largest in Lebanon since the Israel-Hezbollah war in the summer of 2006.

Mr. Wang acknowledged the strikes, saying China "strongly condemns any violation of the basic norms governing international relations".