China urges Israel to halt West Bank settlements at Azerbaijan meeting

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged Israel to stop the "forced establishment" of settlements in the West Bank and reverse its actions, according to a statement from his office. BBC He delivered that message during a face-to-face meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog held on the sidelines of a conference in Azerbaijan. The meeting took place on Thursday, 15 October 2026, according to a statement from the Israeli presidency. Israeli presidency

During the talks, Wang described the "Palestinian question" as "the greatest historical injustice of this century." China's summary of the discussion placed that assessment at the center of his comments to Herzog about the conflict.

Wang said the immediate priority is to fully open access to Gaza and stop the spread of a humanitarian catastrophe. In the Chinese account of the talks, opening access for relief was presented as the urgent step needed to contain conditions inside the territory.

Wang said China is willing to work with the international community to return the parties to dialogue and seek a political solution to the conflict. He presented international cooperation as the route back to negotiations between the parties.

Herzog gave a briefer account of the same exchange in a statement from his office. He said his talk with Wang focused on relations between the two countries and the situation in the Middle East.

China's summary set out detailed positions on settlements in the West Bank, access to Gaza and dialogue toward a political solution. Israel's summary described the same meeting in broader terms, citing bilateral relations between the two countries and developments in the Middle East.