BY MOHAMMAD SHOEB
DOHA: China has vowed to “firmly support” the Palestine cause and seek to restore all its legitimate national rights at international forums, including the UN.
The world’s second largest economy has also expressed its willingness to strengthen its “friendly relations” with all Arab countries, including Qatar on a model based on “equality between big and small countries”, said Gao Youzhen (pictured), Chinese Ambassador to Qatar. “Our position on Palestine is clear. Israel has been an independent state for over 60 years while the wish of the Palestinian people to achieve independence and to set up their own state is yet to be realised. It is unjust and unreasonable, and should not continue,” said the envoy.
Asked about China’s position on Syria and Muslim Brotherhood, which has recently been declared a terrorist organisation by Egypt’s interim government, he said: “We are with the people of both the countries. Their interests should be protected at all costs.”
Youzhen was speaking at a press meeting held at his residence on Thursday to discuss the highlights of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s recently concluded five-nation visit to the Middle East, which Wang started from Ramallah, Palestine. The other four states he visited were Israel, Saudi Arabia, Algeria and Morocco.
During Wang’s meeting with his Palestinian counterpart, Riyad Al Maliki (on December 18), he said that China is willing to work with Palestine to further deepen traditional friendship and promote practical cooperation.
“China will continue to firmly support the just cause of Palestine to restore its legitimate national rights and to play a more positive and constructive role in pushing forward the Palestine-Israel peace process,” Wang said.
He assured that China will encourage its institutions and enterprises to invest and develop their business in Palestine to better benefit the Palestinian people with outcomes of practical cooperation.
“China will implement the personnel training programmes for Palestine, will strengthen bilateral people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and will further expand the friendship to safeguard national rights,” he said.
Al Maliki said that Palestine is grateful to China for supporting the cause of independence and the establishment of the Palestinian state.
“The social and economic development of Palestine is also inseparable from the support of China. Palestine is always willing to deepen cooperation with China and to benefit the people,” he added.
Wang also met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Abbas thanked China for its support and expressed that Palestine-China relations have withstood the tests of history.
The President highly praised the four-point proposal raised by Chinese President Xi Jinping for resolving the Palestine issue.
“We are committed to resolving the Palestine issue through peace talks and will continue to join in the Palestine-Israel peace talks in a constructive manner,” said Abbas. During his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (on December 19), Wang said: “China-Israel relationship enjoys firm foundation, rapid growth and huge potential. It brings tangible benefits to both peoples. China always values the relations with Israel.”
Wang also met with Israeli President Shimon Peres on the same day.
The Peninsula
