Beijing (AFP) – Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry arrives in Beijing for talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi and a delegation of foreign ministers from the Palestinian Authority, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and Jordan. The delegation is in Beijing this week for talks aimed at a “de-escalation” of the current Israel-Hamas conflict. China has sought to play a greater role in the Middle East, facilitating a historic rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran and sending an envoy to the region to push for a ceasefire in the conflict.