China has stated that it may join the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS) jihadist group in Syria and Iraq, provided it is part of an international coalition within the United Nations, according to Chinese political news agency Duowei News.
Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi, during a U.N. Security Council meeting on Wednesday, said that China "advocates extensive and comprehensive international counter-terrorism cooperation within the U.N. framework."
Wang listed the key areas for cooperation, namely, "the fight against cyber-terrorism, prevention of violent extremist ideology, cutting off terrorist funding channels, blocking terrorist mobility, strengthening the exchange of information on terrorism, giving full play to the role of the Security Council."
However, Wang's statements contradict the previous statements he made, wherein he stressed how China encourages a diplomatic solution as a means to resolve the conflict.
According to Duowei, China is currently stuck between Russia and the United States. Both countries are for carrying out attacks against ISIS but differ when it comes to the method, with Russia supporting the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while the U.S., together with its coalition of 60 nations, backs the Syrian rebel forces.
Russia has even been found to have performed airstrikes on both ISIS and rebel camps. U.S. President Barack Obama has denounced Russia's airstrikes as counterproductive.
Both Russia and the United States have reportedly been enticing China to joining their cause, with China having been diplomatically linked to both powers in recent months.
According to Iraqi foreign minister Ibrahim Jafari, Wang has already offered to assist Iraq with defeating ISIS. He noted, however, that China's involvement would be independent of any U.S.-led coalition.
"I welcomed this initiative. I told him we are ready to deal with the coalition and also co-operate with countries outside this coalition," said Jafari.