China offers ‘Chinese wisdom’ over Palestinian peace talks, to fund projects

China attaches great importance to the Palestinian issue and will continue to support peace talks, Foreign Minister Qin Gang told his visiting Palestinian counterpart in Beijing on Tuesday, offering to contribute “Chinese wisdom.”

China has always firmly supported the just cause of the Palestinian people to restore their legitimate rights, Qin also reportedly told Palestine’s Riyad al-Maliki, according to a statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is in Beijing on a three-day state visit in which he hopes to demonstrate that there is Chinese support for a Palestinian state, after failing to meet with American officials while in New York for the United Nations General Assembly last month.

During what is Abbas’ fifth visit to China, he will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss the Palestinian cause as well as exchange views on regional and international issues of common concern, according to official Palestinian media.

China has historically had a good relationship with the Palestinians and since Abbas’ last visit in 2017 has consistently talked up its capabilities in mediation, although it had little to show in this regard until it brokered a surprise deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore diplomatic ties in March.

Chinese envoys occasionally visit Israel and the Palestinian Territories but China has traditionally not played a major role in Middle East conflicts, or diplomacy, despite its reliance on the region for oil.

But China looks set to increase its economic presence in the Palestinian territories, with the two countries having reached agreement in principle over four projects that China will fund in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, according to Mohammed Mustafa, economic adviser to President Abbas.

“Hopefully the initial signing will take place (on Wednesday) in the presence of the two presidents,” Mustafa said on Palestinian television earlier on Tuesday.

The projects include a solar power installation, a factory for solar panel production, a steel plant, and road infrastructure development, Mustafa added.

President Abbas is scheduled to attend an event at Beijing’s Diaoyutai State Guest House on Wednesday, which is often used for such events.