China appreciates and supports the recent concrete steps taken by
Palestine and Israel in an effort to promote peace in the Middle
East.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue made the remarks at a
regular press conference Tuesday in response to questions about
China's expectations with regard to the US president's talks with
Arab leaders in Egypt and his talks with Palestinian and Israeli
officials in Jordan and to a request for China's comments on the
recent positive developments in Israeli-Palestinian relations.
Zhang said China hopes that the talks will result in positive
achievements, so as to encourage the early resumption of peace
talks between the Israelis and the Palestinians, which will
hopefully lead to a comprehensive and long-term peace in the Middle
East at the earliest possible date.
The Middle East peace process is faced with a new window of
opportunity, and China hopes that both the Palestinians and the
Israelis will persist in their active cooperation with the
international community's peace-making efforts and strive for an
early resumption of peace talks.
(Xinhua News Agency June 3, 2003)