Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas announced the establishment of their ‘Strategic Partnership’ on Wednesday.
Strategic Partnership
As part of their strategic partnership, China pledged its firm support to the “just cause of the Palestinian people to restore their legitimate national rights.”
Acknowledging that “Jerusalem is the capital,” China pledged to support Palestine in:
- Becoming a fully sovereign, independent state,
- The maintenance of the status quo formed in the history of Jerusalem’s religious holy sites
- Becoming a full member of the UN,
- Resuming peace talks with Israel on the basis of relevant resolutions and the “two-state solution” to realise peaceful coexistence.
President Xi Jinping held a grand ceremony to welcome Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas who is on a state visit to China. China & #Palestine enjoy a traditional friendship and President Abbas is an old and good friend of the Chinese people.pic.twitter.com/cSJZASwXhh
— Zhang Meifang (@CGMeifangZhang) June 15, 2023
It also pledged to continue:
- Providing humanitarian assistance
- Implementing livelihood and development projects;
- Providing personnel training and strengthen capacity building,
- Providing government scholarships
Both sides further agreed to “jointly oppose hegemonism and power politics” and “support the promotion of the common values of all mankind, such as peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom, and respect the independent choice of people of all countries for democratic development paths… that suit their national conditions.”
Furthermore, they agreed to “firmly oppose the politicisation and instrumentalisation of human rights issues,” and interference “in the internal affairs of other countries under the pretext of democracy and human rights.”
President Xi and President Abbas announced the establishment of a strategic partnership between China and Palestine.
— Hua Chunying 华春莹 (@SpokespersonCHN) June 14, 2023
Leaders Dialogue
Xi said that China and Palestine “are good friends and good partners who trust and support each other.”
He noted that China was “one of the first countries to recognise” the Palestine Liberation Organisation and the State of Palestine.
He stressed that “the Palestine issue has been delayed for more than half a century and has brought great suffering to the Palestinian people, and justice must be returned to Palestine as soon as possible.”
Abbas thanked Xi for China’s “long-term strong support and selfless assistance” to “restoring the legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people.”
He also expressed firm support for China’s position “on issues of core interests” and reaffirmed his government’s recognition of the one-China principle.