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Roundup: Experts expect stronger support for Palestinian cause at China-Arab forum

Xinhua, May 12, 2016 Adjust font size:

Palestinian experts said they expect an Arab-China forum in the Qatari capital of Doha would rally support for the Palestinian cause and enhance cooperation between China and the Arab world.

The Seventh Ministerial Meeting of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum is ongoing in Doha, with the participation of about 200 representatives from 22 Arab countries.

Palestinian analysts saw the forum as a major opportunity to mobilize substantial support for the Palestinian cause of establishing an independent state as well as ending the Israeli occupation.

Mazen Shameya, who is in charge of Asian, Australian and African affairs at the Palestinian Foreign Ministry, said the Palestinians at the forum look forward to expanding cooperation between China and the Arab world in order to iron out regional problems.

"There is significant progress in China's role in dealing with the Palestinian cause," Shameya told Xinhua, adding that China believes the Palestinian issue is vital toward reaching stability both in the Arab world as well as the entire Middle East.

"China has become a major and central world country, especially regarding development issues, and it operates differently from Western countries," he said.

Shameya said the partnerships between China and Arab nations will serve both sides with respect to developing economies.

However, in order to attain that, regional security and stability are in China's interest, he said.

"China can accomplish much, particularly with a clear political stance, to settle the Palestinian cause. This is what the Chinese President emphasized as he presented the four major points in 2013 as well as during the Arab League session in Cairo in January," Shameya said.

Shameya was referring to Chinese President Xi Jinping's four-point proposal put forward at a meeting in Beijing with visiting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and a speech delivered by Xi during his visit last January to the headquarters of the Arab League (AL), both advocating the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital on the territories that were occupied by Israel in 1967.

China has been calling for the peaceful coexistence of the state of Palestine alongside the state of Israel.

In his January speech at the AL Cairo headquarters, Xi said what China hopes for in the Middle East, a region afflicted by decades of turmoil, is peace, development and stability.

Xi also stressed that the Palestinian issue must never be forgotten as it is fundamental toward realizing peace in the Middle East, adding that to end the conflict, the international community must not only push for resumption of talks and implementing agreements, but also uphold fairness and justice.

Ahmad Awad, a political science professor at al-Quds University in Jerusalem, told Xinhua that it would be erroneous to believe that China is geographically distant from the Arab world and that it does not have significant political interests in resolving regional issues.

"China's concern toward resolving the Palestinian issue, including the peace initiative China presented, has affirmed that China and other great countries have an interest in resolving the Palestinian issue and seeing regional stability in the Middle East," Awad said.

He said that China's interests in the Middle East "meet the regional interests of the people and states."

Samir Abdullah, a Palestinian economic expert and former minister of planning, told Xinhua that China as an international economic power undoubtedly seeks to enhance its ties with the international community.

He said China's efforts in cooperation based on mutual benefit under the Belt and Road Initiative is crucial for Palestine and all Arab countries.

The Belt and Road Initiative, which comprises the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, was announced in 2013 by Chinese President Xi. The aim is to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient Silk Road.

"The Palestinian economy is to a great extent influenced by the Chinese economy," he said. Endit