Chinese president says Beijing supports Middle East peace process
China’s President Xi Jinping told a conference on cooperation with the Arab states on Thursday that he supports peace in the Middle East and the creation of a Palestinian state.
In a keynote speech at the opening of the Sixth Ministerial Conference of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum (CASCF), Xi talked of issues surrounding Palestine, and the Syrian crisis.
He said Beijing "is determined to support" the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and that he supports a "fully independent Palestinian state".
Xi added that Beijing "respects the people’s right to make demands" and said the Chinese government hopes for an immediate tolerant political transition in Syria and that it is in favour of a political solution.
China’s national news agency, Xinhua, reported Thursday that Syrian refugees would receive $16 million in humanitarian assistance from China while Palestine would receive around $9.6 million in aid.
The CASCF was established in January 2004 with the aim of fostering and developing the long-term growth of China-Arab relations.
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