Palestinian president to visit China

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will pay a state visit to China from July 17 to 20, his fourth visit to the country, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang announced on Tuesday.

During the visit, Geng said, Abbas will hold talks and meet with President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang and Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee.

"The two sides will exchange views on the bilateral relationship, the Palestinian issue and other issues of common concern," Geng said at a daily news conference in Beijing.

China and Palestine have shared a long-term friendship, and China is one of the earliest countries to recognize the Palestine Liberation Organization and the State of Palestine.

Geng said, the two countries have maintained close contacts at top levels, achieved stable progress in all areas of cooperation, and people-to-people exchanges are increasingly close.

"China is willing to, together with Palestine, further deepen our traditional friendship, and promote the comprehensive development of bilateral cooperation," he said. "China supports the Palestinian people to restore their legitimate national rights and is willing to play a constructive role to promote the Middle East peace process."