China's Special Envoy on Middle East affairs Gong Xiaosheng(R) shakes hands with Saeb Erekat, Palestinian chief negotiator and secretary general of Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) executive committee during their meeting in Ramallah on Jan. 31, 2016. (Photo: Xinhua/Liu Liwei)
China's Special Envoy on Middle East affairs Gong Xiaosheng said Sunday that Beijing firmly supports the Palestinian people and the Middle East peace process.
The visiting envoy told media in the West Bank city of Ramallah that the Palestinian issue should not be marginalized, and China supports the establishment of a state of Palestine with full sovereignty on the basis of the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
According to Gong, Chinese President Xi Jinping's recent visit to the Middle East could signal the beginning of a new era in relations between China and Palestine as well as other countries in the region.
It was the president's first overseas tour of 2016 and his first visit to the region since assuming office. When President Xi addressed the Arab League in Cairo, his message was clear: What China wants for a region dogged by decades of troubles is peace, development and stability.
Xi said the Palestinian issue should not fall into oblivion as it is of fundamental importance to peace in the Middle East, adding that to bring an end to the conflict, the international community should not only promote the resumption of the talks and implementation of the agreements, but also uphold fairness and justice.
To improve the well-being of the Palestinians, Beijing promises to provide 50 million yuan (7.53 million U.S. dollars) of grant to the Palestinian side and support the solar power station project in its territories.
Prior to Xi's visit, China released its first policy document specifically addressing relations with the Arab world, leaving no one in any doubt that cooperation and development come hand-in-hand with peace and stability.
On regional affairs in the Middle East, Gong said China has called for an all-round solution to the region's hot issues, stressing that China supports the idea of holding an international peace conference in line with the principle of the two-state solution.
While pushing for peace in the Middle East, the international community should also help its economic development and provide more humanitarian assistance, he said.
The Belt and Road Initiative can play an important role in restoring the economies of the Middle East and promoting social stability, he said.
The Belt and Road Initiative, or the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, an ambitious vision Xi put forward in 2013, aims to boost inter-connectivity and common development along the ancient land and maritime Silk Roads.
Gong wrapped up his two-day visit to Palestine on Sunday. During his stay in Ramallah, he met with Saeb Erekat, Palestinian chief negotiator and secretary general of Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) executive committee, Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, Foreign Minister Riad Al-Malki and Abbas Zaki, a member in Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Fatah Party's Central Committee.
Palestinian leaders expressed their thanks for China's support for the Palestinian cause in fields of politics, technical training as well as financial aid, and welcomed the convening of an international peace conference, with the participation of permanent members of the UN Security Council, including China.
They said that the Palestinians believe that Chinese President Xi's visit to the Middle East has historic meanings.
