Deng stressed that China "has always been committed to promoting peace in the region," at a press conference to discuss the 10th Ministerial Conference of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum, to be held in Beijing on Thursday. The official rejected the idea that the Asian country, which has increased its diplomatic involvement in the region in recent years, is taking advantage of "a vacuum left by the United States" in the Middle East. The vice minister stressed that, faced with escalating conflicts, such as the outbreak of violence in Gaza, China, as "a responsible country," feels "the need to contribute to regional peace and assume its share of responsibility in mitigating the humanitarian crisis." "It is time for the international community to act with a sense of justice and common good to do something for peace in the Middle East," Deng said, adding that China should "strive to do something to stop this conflict." "This is the fundamental reason behind China's recent increase in diplomatic activity in the Middle East. Our goal is humanity, justice, stability and peace in the region," Deng Li concluded. Thursday's ministerial conference will be attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping, King of Bahrain Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, Tunisian President Kais Saied, and United Arab Emirates President Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, among other lower-ranking officials. One of the issues to be discussed during the meeting is the conflict in Gaza, regarding which Beijing has called in recent months for "all possible efforts to protect civilians and avoid an even greater humanitarian catastrophe." China has also expressed its support for the "two-state solution" and its officials have held numerous meetings with representatives of Arab and Muslim countries to reaffirm this position or to try to advance peace negotiations. In recent years, China has also played a mediating role in the region: representatives of the Islamic group Hamas and the Fatah movement recently met in Beijing "for a deep and sincere dialogue" on Palestinian reconciliation. Last year, China brokered an agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore diplomatic relations. Read Also: China assures that it will always be open to foreign companies (Portuguese version)