Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, left, shakes hands after presenting a medallion to Chinese President Xi Jinping; July 18, 2017. Photo: Reuters/Mark Schiefelbein/Pool.
China has recently sought to bolster its relations with several countries in West Asia, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Iran
The President of the Palestinian Authority (PA), Mahmoud Abbas, arrived in Beijing on 13 June and expressed the PA’s readiness to facilitate peace negotiations between Israel and Palestine.
According to Chinese state-run media, Abbas landed in China for a four-day visit, making it his fifth official appearance in Beijing. Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that Abbas is set to meet with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) 8th premier, Li Qang, to “exchange opinions … on the latest developments on the Palestinian arena as well as on regional and international issues of mutual concern.”
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The spokesman for China’s foreign ministry previously affirmed that the Palestinian president is an “old and good friend of the Chinese people,” adding that Beijing has always supported the Palestinians in acquiring their national rights.
China has recently sought to bolster its relations with several countries in West Asia, such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Iran, brokering a peace agreement between Riyadh and Tehran in March following years of diplomatic tensions. Last month, Iran reopened its embassy in the kingdom, which has created an obstacle to US influence in the region.
Xi and Abbas met in Saudi Arabia in December 2022 for discussions to determine a durable solution to the Palestinian issue.
According to senior Israeli officials that spoke with the Times of Israel, US officials blocked an effort led by China at the UN Security Council (UNSC) on 10 May to condemn Israel’s latest onslaught on the besieged Gaza Strip.
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Over the decades, the US has consistently stepped in to protect Israel from the consequences of rampant human rights abuses, the military occupation of Palestinian land, and the imposition of an apartheid system targeting Palestinians.
The only exception to this rule came earlier this year when Washington allowed a statement to pass at the UNSC blasting Israel’s expansion of illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank. Nonetheless, the US went on to block a binding resolution against Israel.
