Politics
16:03, 01-Aug-2017
China's UN envoy rallies support for Middle East peace plan
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China is set to step up its role negotiating peace in the Middle East, with the country’s UN ambassador Liu Jieyi on Monday calling for international support for a new plan aiming to end the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Chinese President Xi Jinping outlined a four-point proposal in July to bring peace to the region and establish an independent Palestinian state, an effort that comes on top of the country’s role as a peace broker in the Syrian conflict.
Chinese President Xi Jinping outlined a four-point peace plan during talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Beijing on July 18, 2017. /AFP Photo
Chinese President Xi Jinping outlined a four-point peace plan during talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Beijing on July 18, 2017. /AFP Photo
In a meeting with his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas on July 18, Xi vowed to "ceaselessly" contribute towards peace in the region and put forward a proposal that emphasizes the promotion of development as a route to peace.
Speaking at a news conference at the UN Headquarters in New York on Monday, Liu urged the international community to "respond positively to the proposals made by China because we believe these four proposals once fully implemented will really go a long way towards helping the issue to be solved through negotiations, and also contribute to stability of the relations between the two sides."
China’s Israel-Palestine peace plan
During his July 18 meeting with Abbas, Xi signaled China’s determination to work for peace in the region and outlined a four-point plan to move towards that goal:
1. Two-state solution and the establishment of an independent State of Palestine, enjoying full sovereignty on the basis of 1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as its capital.
2. Implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2334 and an immediate stop of all settlement activities in the occupied territories.
3. Coordinate efforts of the international community and strengthen the concerted efforts for peace. A seminar for supporters of peace in Palestine and Israel will be held within this year to contribute ideas and solutions to the Palestinian issue.
4. Promoting peace with development to continue supporting Palestine in speeding up its development.
The goal of achieving peace through development is particularly relevant to the Belt and Road Initiative, as China views Palestine and Israel as "important partners" in the development strategy.
Peace and the Belt and Road
China sees the Belt and Road project as a means of promoting peace and prosperity through trade and improved infrastructure, and has identified the principles of the initiative as a means to help achieve stability in Israel-Palestine relations.
Liu on Monday reiterated Xi’s comment that China sees Palestine and Israel as "important partners" in the Belt and Road Initiative and confirmed that a tripartite dialogue mechanism with Palestine and Israel to promote key projects had been proposed.
China's Ambassador to the UN Liu Jieyi on February 13, 2017 at the United Nations headquarters in New York. /AFP Photo
China's Ambassador to the UN Liu Jieyi on February 13, 2017 at the United Nations headquarters in New York. /AFP Photo
China's special envoy on Middle East affairs, Gong Xiaosheng, said in April that the Belt and Road Initiative may become China's most significant contribution to the Middle East peace process.
"I think the Belt and Road Initiative is highly likely to become China's most significant contribution to the Middle East peace process because it will provide the economic solution the region needs," Gong said.
Liu also confirmed that China plans to hold a seminar for Palestinian and Israeli "peace activists" this year, seeking "to contribute wisdom for the settlement of the Palestinian question.”
(With input from agencies)
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