In Beijing, Israel's Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said he had asked China to understand his country's stance on the Iranian nuclear program. At the beginning of a week-long visit to China, Lieberman held a closed-door meeting with his counterpart Yang Jiechi before holding a press conference, during which he referred to the nation hosting him as a key player.
When asked, Lieberman declined to say how China had responded. Experts, in fact, say while Israel may have felt the need to explain itself, the position of China is already crystal clear.
Also in his press conference, Lieberman repeated Israel's argument that an attack on Iran would be justified in the name of self-defense. It's not clear, however, if the Chinese are convinced of this.
While Israel is widely believed to harbor the Middle East's only nuclear arsenal, Iran rejects accusations that it is seeking nuclear weapons, saying its program is for peaceful purposes only.
After Beijing, Lieberman will travel to the Western Chinese city of Chengdu to visit exhibition commemorating 20 years of Israel-China ties. His visit will conclude in Shanghai, where he will visit a synagogue and Jewish museum, and attend a ceremony, also marking 20 years of Israel-China ties.
