President Jiang Zemin vowed on Friday China would "always be a true friend" to the Palestinians as Palestinian President Yasser Arafat sought to drum up international support to staunch the bloodshed in the Middle East, reported AFP.
"China will always be a true friend of Arabs, especially Palestinian people. Our support of the Palestinians' just struggle to resume legal national rights is consistent and firm," Jiang assured Arafat in talks in Beijing, according to state television.
He also reiterated China's backing for sending UN-sanctioned international observers to the Middle East, China Central Television said.
The Palestinian leader was "100 percent" satisfied with the response he received from China, said Arafat's spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina.
"We have their full political support, and continuous support by the Chinese side for Palestinians," he said.
"We hope with our friends here and other places, we can succeed in getting a resolution from the (UN) Security Council concerning sending observers to Palestine."
China has previously backed proposals for international observers to be sent to the Middle East, a move opposed by Israel and the US, which in March used its Security Council veto for the first time in four years to defeat a draft resolution on the subject.
Earlier Arafat held discussions with Chinese number two Li Peng, chairman of the China's legislature, the National People's Congress.
"We expressed our indignation over Israel's recent abuse of armed forces against Palestinian civilians," Li told Arafat.
Asked on leaving the meeting whether Palestinian officials were ready to begin peace talks with Israel to end the violence, he replied: "We are ready at all times but they are refusing as you know."
State television showed cordial scenes from both meetings, including Arafat greeting the leaders with warm embraces, said the agency.
Arafat said he "highly appreciated China's consistent position on the Middle East peace process,” the broadcast added.
He left Beijing late Friday.
Arafat is expected to leave for Vietnam and Malaysia before heading to the UN World Conference Against Racism, beginning in South Africa on August 31.
Arafat also met ambassadors from Arab countries and briefed them on the “serious situation in the Palestinian lands, according to the Palestinian news agency (WAFA)
Reuters had quoted analysts as saying that Beijing was expected to reaffirm its long-standing support for a Palestinian state and to offer some financial assistance, but was unlikely to propose any new initiatives in the peace process.
"China is very careful, more or less even-handed," one Western diplomat told the agency. "There is very little for them to gain by getting more closely involved."
Beijing has remained largely even-handed in its policy toward the Middle East to balance ties with its old Arab allies and Israel, a key arms supplier, said Reuters.
It quoted diplomats as saying Israel wants China to tell Arafat he must end hostilities against Israel before returning to the negotiating table.
Israel has sold Beijing tens of millions of dollars worth of arms, but Chinese support for the Palestinians dates back to 1963 when Arafat met Chairman Mao Zedong and received weapons.
Arafat's two-day visit to China, his 14th trip there, follows swift stopovers in India and Pakistan on Thursday.
In talks with Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, Arafat asked India to help push for a resumption of talks to end the bloodshed. In Pakistan, Arafat said he briefed President Pervez Musharraf on the outcome of Tuesday's Arab foreign ministers meeting in Cairo – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
