China condemns 'assassination' of Hamas chief in Iran

BEIJING (AFP) - China on Wednesday said it condemned the "assassination" of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in a strike in Tehran, warning it could lead to further instability in the region.

"We are highly concerned about the incident and firmly oppose and condemn the assassination," foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said. "We are deeply concerned that this incident may lead to further instability in the regional situation," he added.

"China has always advocated resolving regional disputes through negotiation and dialogue," he added. "Gaza should achieve a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire as soon as possible to avoid further escalation of conflict and confrontation," Lin said.

Hamas said Wednesday that Haniyeh had been killed in an Israeli strike in Iran, where he was attending the inauguration of the country's new president, and vowed the act "will not go unanswered". China has historically been sympathetic to the Palestinian cause and supportive of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

It has positioned itself as a more neutral actor on the Israel-Palestinian conflict than its rival the United States, advocating for a two-state solution while also maintaining good ties with Israel. This month, China hosted rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah in Beijing, where they signed an agreement to form a "national unity government" in post-war Gaza.