The Chinese special envoy on the Middle East issue Sun Bigan announced on Monday the Chinese government pledged to donate 15 million RMB (US$2.2 million) for the reconstruction of the Palestinian war-battered Gaza Strip.

Sun pledged the government donation at a international donors' conference on Gaza reconstruction, which opened here earlier in the day with participation of officials and delegates from over 70 countries and some 15 international organizations.

Sun told the meeting that the money will be used for the rebuilding of several primary schools in the Gaza Strip, which was hit by a 22-day massive Israeli military offensive between December and January.

China has already provided US$1 million of emergent aid to the Palestinians after the conflicts broke out in Gaza.

Sun expressed that China has always been devoted to the Middle East peace process and ready to provide tangible help for Gaza's economic recovery and social development.

"China will continue to support and join in international efforts on promoting peace (in the Middle East), and make contribution to the Middle East peace cause," he said.

On the sidelines of the conference, Sun has met with the Palestinian National Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and some officials of other countries attending the conference, according to sources with the Chinese delegation.

Sun also stressed in his speech at the conference that the international community should not only pledge donations, but also "show the determination to promote the Middle East peace process."

He called on the donors community to urge all parties concerned to earnestly abide by the UN Security Council Resolution 1860 and push forward the humanitarian aid and reconstruction work in Gaza, in a bid to save the Palestinians from suffering as soon as possible.

On Monday's conference, international donors have pledged a total of some US$4.481 billion in aid to help the Palestinian economy and rebuild the Gaza Strip, Egypt's Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit said at a press briefing after the conference, which he said was "beyond of our expectations."

(Xinhua News Agency March 3, 2009)