China-Palestine Relations (Photo : Getty Images)
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday that the creation of a Palestinian state must be permitted. The comment came following his meeting with Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki, who urged China to increase its efforts in the Middle East peace process.
Israel and Palestinian territories are occasionally visited by Chinese representatives. Notwithstanding its dependence on the region for oil, China traditionally did little efforts with regard to the Middle East conflicts or diplomacy.
In a joint press conference with Maliki, Wang said that Palestinians are still kept from having their own independent nation despite the fact that 70 years had already passed since the approval of the U.N. resolution on a plan for a Jewish state.
“This is unfair. This kind of historical injustice must be corrected. It cannot continue,” the Chinese foreign minister said, adding that this is the time to overcome inertia and start Israeli-Palestinian peace talks again.
Maliki expressed gratitude to China, saying that the country’s efforts in the peace process are deeply appreciated and accepted by his people.
“And we do encourage China to do more of this kind of approach, in order to see peace ultimately achieved in our region,” he said.
The relationship between China and Palestine has traditionally been in good terms.
However, the Middle East is laden with risk for China. Beijing is not so familiar with handling religious and political tensions that the region frequently experiences.
A peaceful Israel-Palestine coexistence, preferred by the international community, would be beneficial to both sides and the region, Chinese President Xi Jinping told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his visit to Beijing in March.
As China becomes an advocate for the building of a Palestinian state, it is also expected to do more in the Middle East peace process.
