Chinese FM meets Palestinian special envoy

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi on Friday told visiting Palestinian president special envoy that China welcomes the agreement of cease-fire in Gaza, pledging to offer emergency humanitarian aid to Palestine. "China applauds the cease-fire announcement by Israel and related Palestinian groups and expects the parties to honor the cease-fire commitment and avoid more conflicts," Yang said in talks with Bassam al-Salhi. Israel and Palestinian militant groups in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday reached a cease-fire agreement brokered by Egypt. Bassam al-Salhi, also secretary-general of the Palestinian People's Party, is visiting China from Thursday to Saturday. To show the Chinese people's friendship to the Palestinians and help ease the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the Chinese government decided to offer emergency humanitarian aid to Palestine, Yang said. He added that the Gaza conflict again showed the importance and the emergency of resolving the Palestine issue. China's Foreign Minister called on the international community to give full attention to the issue and make bigger efforts to encourage peaceful negotiations in a bid to bring Palestine and Israel back to talks and make substantial progress. China staunchly supports the Palestinian people's just cause to restore their legitimate rights, supports Palestine's entry into the United Nations and other international organizations and understands, respects and backs Palestine's bid for the UN observer status, Yang said. "China will work with the international community to play an active and constructive role in comprehensively and fairly settling the Palestine issue at an early date," he told Bassam al-Salhi, who in turn provided a briefing on latest developments between Palestine and Israel. He thanked China for promoting a cease-fire in Gaza and supporting Palestine's bid for UN observer status. Bassam al-Salhi also voiced appreciation for China's long-term staunch support for Palestinian people's just cause and efforts to establish an independent country. Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Zhijun also met with Bassam al-Salhi on Friday.