China’s Xi meets Palestinian leader Abbas, offers 3-point proposal for ‘lasting solution’ to conflict with Israel

Renewed mediation offer comes as Chinese President Xi Jinping and Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas announce bilateral strategic partnership

China has been increasingly vocal on the Israeli-Palestinian issue as it steps up peacemaking efforts in the Middle East and Ukraine

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Chinese President Xi Jinping and Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas at a signing ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Wednesday. Photo: AFP

Published: 2:59pm, 14 Jun 2023Updated: 10:35pm, 14 Jun 2023

Chinese President Xi Jinping has restated Beijing’s willingness to “play a positive role” in finding an early and lasting solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

The renewed mediation offer came as Xi met visiting Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in Beijing on Wednesday, where they announced the setting up of a bilateral strategic partnership.

Hailing their relationship as one between good friends and partners, Xi also proposed a three-point solution to the Palestinian issue.

Xi said Abbas was the first Arab leader to be welcomed by China this year, which fully demonstrated the “high-level” of bilateral relations.

“China and Palestine are good friends and good partners who trust and support each other,” Xi said. “Facing a changing world [with events never before seen] in 100 years and new changes in the Middle East, China is willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation with Palestine to promote an early, comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the Palestine issue,” he was quoted as saying by Xinhua.

“Today, we jointly announced the establishment of the China-Palestinian strategic partnership, which will be an important milestone in the history of bilateral relations,” he said.

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