China, Palestinian Authority Sign Partnership Pact as China Expands Middle East Role
China and the Palestinian Authority have established a “strategic partnership,” Chinese state media announced on Wednesday. The announcement, made during a three-day visit to Beijing by PA President Mahmoud Abbas, marks a further step in China’s campaign to gain political and economic influence in the Middle East, where it is competing with the United States.
Abbas, who last visited China in 2017, was greeted with full military honors in Beijing and was welcomed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, who said that China was willing to play a positive role to help the Palestinians achieve internal reconciliation and promote peace talks with Israel. China has long maintained diplomatic ties with the Palestinian Authority.
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“The fundamental solution to the Palestinian issue lies in the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital,” Xi said, according to Chinese state media. “We have always firmly supported the just cause of the Palestinian people to restore their legitimate national rights.”
Xi and Abbas announced that they had agreed to establish a strategic partnership and had signed several bilateral cooperation documents. These include an economic and technological cooperation pact, a deal on mutual visa exemption for diplomatic passports, and a friendship between the Chinese city of Wuhan and Ramallah, seat of the Palestinian government.
Xi reiterated Chinese support for the Palestinian Authority becoming a full member of the United Nations and said Beijing would continue to stand up for the Palestinian side in multilateral forums, state media reported. Xi also said the international community should increase development and humanitarian assistance to the Palestinians.
On Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang offered to contribute “Chinese wisdom” to the “Palestinian issue” in a separate meeting with Palestinian counterpart Riad Malki.
