Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang on Tuesday said that China firmly supports the Palestinian people's just cause of restoring their legitimate national rights.

Qin made the remarks during his talks with Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Al-Maliki in Beijing. The meeting comes as Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas makes a state visit to China from June 13 to 16.

Qin pointed out that the situation in the Middle East is undergoing profound changes, adding that strengthening strategic autonomy and enhancing unity and cooperation are the shared aspiration of the people and the prevailing trend of the times.

Stressing China attaches great importance to the Palestinian question, Qin told his Palestinian counterpart that China perseveres in promoting peace talks in the right direction and vows to contribute China's wisdom and strength to addressing the issue.

Calling China and Palestine good friends and partners, the Chinese foreign minister said that in recent years, under the strategic leadership of the two heads of state, the two sides have lent firm political support to each other and achieved positive progress in bilateral cooperation.

As President Abbas is the first Arab head of state received by China this year, Qin said it fully reflects the special friendship between China and Palestine and China's support for the just cause of Palestine.

It is believed that the two heads of state will make top-level designs for the development of bilateral relations, clarify strategic directions and promote the traditional friendly relations between the two countries to a new level, Qin added.

China is ready to work closely with the Palestinian side to ensure that the visit is a complete success, said the Chinese foreign minister.

For his part, Al-Maliki said he appreciated a series of initiatives put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping on the Palestinian question and thanked China for supporting Palestine's just cause and development.

He told Qin that President Abbas attaches great importance to this visit and looks forward to further development of relations between the two countries.

The Palestinian side firmly adheres to the one-China policy and will continue to firmly support China on issues that concern its core interests, Al-Maliki added.

(Cover: Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang (R) shakes hands with Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Al-Maliki in Beijing, China, June 13, 2023. /CMG)