Bethlehem /PNN /

 President Mahmoud Abbas’ upcoming visit to China speaks volumes about the high-level friendly bilateral Palestinian-Chinese relations, according to the Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry.

Speaking during the regular press conference, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin stated: “President Abbas is an old and good friend of the Chinese people and the first Arab head of state to be hosted by China this year. This speaks volumes about the high-level friendly relations between China and Palestine.”

Commenting on how China views the current China-Palestine relations and the Palestine Question, Wenbin said: “China and Palestine enjoy a traditional friendship. China is one of the first countries to recognize the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the State of Palestine.”

“In recent years, thanks to the personal guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Abbas, the China-Palestine relations have maintained a good momentum of growth with stronger political mutual trust and deeper friendship between the two peoples. China stands ready to work with Palestine to follow through on the common understandings of leaders of the two countries and take the China-Palestine traditional friendship to new heights,” he added.

Highlighting the centrality of the Palestinian Question to the Middle East, he said: “The Palestinian question is at the heart of the Middle East issue and matters to the region’s peace and stability and global equity and justice. China has all along firmly supported the Palestinian people’s just cause of restoring their legitimate national rights.”

“For ten consecutive years, President Xi Jinping has sent congratulatory messages to the special commemorative meeting in observance of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. More than once he put forward China’s proposals for resolving the Palestinian question, stressing the need to resolutely advance a political settlement based on the two-state solution and intensify international efforts for peace,” he elaborated.

He pledged that his country, as a UN Security Council permanent member, “will continue to work with the international community for a comprehensive, just and enduring solution to the Palestinian question at an early date.”

President Abbas will pay a three-day visit to China, starting from Tuesday June 13.