RIYADH, December 8, 2022 – President Mahmoud Abbas met this evening with his Chinese counterpart, President Xi Jinping, in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, on the sidelines of the Arab-China Summit.

The two leaders discussed bilateral relations between their friendly countries and peoples, and ways to further strengthen them — including expanding economic cooperation, trade exchange, and investment, particularly following the State of Palestine’s accession to the Belt and Road Initiative.

The meeting also touched on the importance of ensuring the success of the Arab-China Summit, which represents a vital step toward building a shared Arab-Chinese future based on cooperation, mutual respect, and sustainable development.

President Abbas expressed his appreciation to President Xi for his vision to resolve the Palestinian question, and for China’s consistent support for the Palestinian cause and its developmental assistance to the Palestinian people. He reaffirmed Palestine’s support for the One-China policy and its solidarity with China in facing international pressures.

For his part, President Xi underscored his keenness to further strengthen bilateral ties and to continue China’s political and economic support for the State of Palestine and its people. He praised the mutual political understanding between the two sides and expressed appreciation for Palestine’s steadfast support in international forums.

President Xi emphasized that the Arab-China Summit holds great importance in fostering a common future grounded in sustainable development, security, and stability, while adhering to the principles of independence, sovereignty, and non-interference in internal affairs. He highlighted the need to promote economic and investment exchange across all sectors and to build an Arab-Chinese community for a shared future, in line with the “four methods” and “eight opportunities” that underpin China’s approach to cooperation.

It is noteworthy that Palestine and China have maintained diplomatic relations since 1963.