WASHINGTON, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice has canceled the scheduled trip to China this week because of
the crisis in the Gaza Strip, U.S. State Department said on Sunday.
"Due to events in the Middle East, Secretary Rice
will not be able to travel to Beijing, China as she had expected," said State
Department spokesman Sean McCormack in a statement issued on Sunday.
"Deputy Secretary Negroponte will travel to Beijing
on January 7 to meet with Chinese officials and attend events in commemoration
of the thirtieth anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the
United States and the People's Republic of China," McCormack said.
McCormack gave no comment on whether Rice would
travel to the Middle East for promoting a ceasefire between Israel and the
Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), which was blamed by Washington for
responsible for crisis in the Gaza Strip.
Rice said on Friday she had no plans "at this point"
to travel to the Middle East.
Israel's ground troops, backed by gunships and tanks,
on Saturday night launched an invasion into the Gaza Strip. Reports here quoted
Palestinian security sources as saying that the troops have gained control of
the eastern section of the northern Gaza Strip throughout Sunday.
The strikes lasting eight days in the Gaza Strip have
killed some 480 people, mostly Palestinian militants, and wounded 2,800 others.
For the Israeli side, four people have been killed in the ongoing rocket attacks
by Hamas and other Palestinian militants from the Gaza Strip.
"We are working toward a ceasefire that would not
allow a reestablishment of the status quo ante, where Hamas can continue to
launch rockets out of Gaza and to condemn the people of Gaza to a life of
misery," said McCormack on Saturday.
"It is obvious that that ceasefire should take place
as soon as possible, but we need a ceasefire that is durable, sustainable, and
not time limited," McCormack said.
FM spokesman:China understands U.S. decision on cancellation of State Secretary Rice's China visit
BEIJING, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- China understands the decision of the United States on cancellation of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's scheduled visit to China, said a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman here Sunday night. Full story
