Palestine-Israel Peace Symposium calls for two-state solution

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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Friday China firmly supports the two-state solution and the establishment of an independent State of Palestine, which enjoys full sovereignty by the 1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as its capital.

In a special two-day symposium held in Beijing, Palestinian and Israel peace advocates agreed that a two-state solution is the only way to bring peace to the region. They urged the people from both sides to call on their leaders to take decisive action to achieve peace.

Wang Yi met on Friday with the envoy of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the Great Hall of the People. He reiterated that China's position on the peace process has always been consistent.

"China supports the establishment of an independent State of Palestine, enjoying full sovereignty on the basis of the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital," he added.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (7th L) poses with the participants of a Palestine-Israel peace symposium in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 22, 2017. /Xinhua Photo

The Palestinian envoys insisted that a resolution must be sought through political dialogue, expressing a hope that international community could play its part in the process.

They also delivered a letter from President Abbas, in which he praised China’s support.

Wang has also held a meeting with the Israeli and Palestinian participants in the two-day Symposium held on Thursday and Friday in Beijing, which China sees as a platform for communication for peace advocates in a demonstration of the hope for peace.

Eight delegates from Palestine and Israel, and seven from China, including its special envoy on the Middle East peace process, Gong Xiaosheng attended the symposium.

The Israeli and Palestinian delegates agreed that the leaders should pledge to work towards a two-state solution and avoid any unilateral action, which damages the peace process.

Both sides showed consensus on positive contributions, including halting the construction of new Jewish settlements, maintaining Jerusalem's current status, taking security measures to protect Palestinian-Israeli relations, and looking at ways to jointly resolve the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.

They also said that people on both sides could demonstrate a will to be peaceful partners, with the international community also supporting the cause using political and economic channels. They said China could play a more active role and create favorable conditions for the peace process.

"The Symposium was held in a very tense, critical and sensitive background. Although it's a civil meeting, it sends a voice to the world that the majority of Palestinian and Israeli people support the peace process and the two-state solution. The meeting was held in a very positive atmosphere," said Gong.

China has vowed to continue its efforts to promote peace in the Middle East.