China and Palestine agreed on Wednesday to establish a strategic partnership.

The announcement came as Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with visiting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

"It will serve as an important milestone in China-Palestine relations that builds on past achievements and heralds a brighter future," Xi hailed.

It is Abbas's fifth official visit to China. The Chinese president welcomed President Abbas for visiting China again. Noting that the Palestinian president is the first Arab head of state hosted by China this year, Xi said the visit speaks volumes about the strength of China-Palestine relations.

Good friends, partners

This year marks the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Palestine. Xi recalled that China was one of the first countries to recognize the Palestine Liberation Organization and the State of Palestine.

The two countries called each other good friends and partners, and the two leaders on Wednesday vowed to advance bilateral friendship and cooperation in all areas.

China-Palestine relations have maintained a positive momentum of growth in recent years. In 2019, China and Palestine launched the first round of negotiations on a free trade zone. Last December, the two sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) cooperation. Bilateral trade reached $158 million last year, with a year-on-year increase of 23.2 percent, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Xi told Abbas on Wednesday that China is willing to continue to provide assistance to Palestine within its own capabilities to help ease humanitarian difficulties and carry out reconstruction.

To improve the Palestinian people's well-being, China announced in 2016 that it would provide 50 million yuan (about $7.4 million) in grants to the Palestinian side. Thus, China has so far assisted in the construction of more than 40 projects in Palestine, including the Palestinian Foreign Ministry building.

Firm support, three-point proposals         

During the meeting, Xi reiterated China's firm support for the Palestinian people's just cause of restoring their legitimate national rights.

The Chinese president made a three-point proposal on resolving the Palestinian question, including establishing an independent state of Palestine that enjoys full sovereignty on the basis of the 1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as its capital, meeting Palestine's economic and livelihood needs, and keeping to the right direction of peace talks.

"Facing unprecedented changes in the world and the new developments in the Middle East, China stands ready to strengthen coordination and cooperation with Palestine, and work for a comprehensive, just and durable solution of the Palestinian question at an early date," Xi told Abbas.

For his part, Abbas appreciated China's multiple initiatives toward an early and just settlement of the Palestinian question, saying the Palestinian side believes in China's wisdom and impartial position and looks forward to China's greater role in promoting intra-Palestinian reconciliation and achieving peace in the Middle East.

The Chinese president has said that the Palestinian question affects peace and stability in the Middle East. On many international occasions, he has spoken up for the Palestinian people, calling for a just settlement on the issue.

"The historical injustices done to the Palestinian people should not be left unattended indefinitely, the legitimate rights and interests of a nation are not up for trade, and the demand to establish an independent state shall not be denied," Xi pointed out when delivering his speech at the first China-Arab States Summit in December.

In this regard, China is making efforts to prevent the Palestinian question from being marginalized. After the clash between Palestine and Israel broke out in 2021, China, holding the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council, pushed the Security Council to hold five meetings on the Palestinian question and ultimately issued a presidential statement.

In addition, China also proposed three routes to implement the "two-state solution" and held a seminar for peace activists from Palestine and Israel. So far, five Chinese special envoys to the Middle East have visited Palestine, Israel, Egypt, Jordan and other related countries in the region to mediate the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

(Cover: Chinese President Xi Jinping shakes hands with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, June 14, 2023. /Xinhua)