China understands Rice trip cancellation over Gaza

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-01-05 12:01

BEIJING -- China said it understood the United States' decision to cancel a planned trip to Beijing by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice because of the crisis in Gaza, where Israel has launched a ground offensive.

Rice had been set to arrive in Beijing this week to attend celebrations to mark the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries, but the US State Department on Sunday said her deputy, John Negroponte, would go in her place.

US President George W. Bush had explained the cancellation to Chinese President Hu Jintao during a phone call on Sunday night, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement posted on its website (www.fmprc.gov.cn).

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Bush told Hu that Rice needed to remain in the US to "handle relevant matters ... due to the worsening situation in the Middle East," the statement said.

"The Chinese side understands the United States' decision and welcomes Deputy US Secretary of State Negroponte to visit China."

The visit would have been Rice's last to China as secretary of state under the outgoing Bush administration, and comes after she cancelled her attendance at closing ceremonies for the Beijing Olympics in August due to the crisis in Georgia.

Israeli troops and tanks invaded Gaza by land on Sunday after eight days of air attacks in retaliation for Hamas firing rockets deep into the Jewish territory.

Rice said on Friday she had no plans "at this point" to travel to the Middle East to help reach a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which rules Gaza.