Xi Jinping
Xi JinpingReuters

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday reaffirmed his support for a “two-state solution” to the Israel-Palestinian conflict.

Xi had sent Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas a congratulatory letter on the occasion of the 33rd anniversary of the PA’s “Declaration of Independence”, according to the PA’s official Wafa news agency.

In the letter, Xi said he was interested in enhancing Chinese-PA relations with a view of pushing forward joint cooperation in all fields.

He stressed China's keenness to continue providing all possible assistance to the PA to help it cope with COVID-19 and improve the livelihood of the Palestinian people.

He reiterated his country’s firm support “of the just cause of Palestine and for the establishment of an independent and fully sovereign state of Palestine on the basis of the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with international resolutions, including the principle of the two-state solution”, according to Wafa.

China has in recent years sought to play a greater role in the Middle East in general and in the Israel-PA peace process in particular.

In 2013, Xi presented a four-point proposal to end the Israeli-PA conflict and establish an independent Palestinian state.

The four points are: Advancing a two-state solution based on the pre-1967 borders with eastern Jerusalem as the capital of a new Palestinian state; Upholding “the concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security,” immediately ending Israeli settlement building, taking immediate measures to prevent violence against civilians, and calling for an early resumption of peace talks; Coordinating international efforts to put forward “peace-promoting measures that entail joint participation at an early date”; and promoting peace through development and cooperation between the PA and Israel.

In 2017, as he did in Saturday’s letter, Xi reaffirmed China's support of a two-state solution.