Chinese FM eyes new prospect for China-Indonesia ties

BEIJING - A new prospect for China-Indonesia relations is expected to be explored under the Belt and Road Initiative, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Wednesday.

The heads of state of the two countries have reached consensus on development strategies and closer cooperation on the China-proposed initiative, Wang said in a phone conversation with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi.

For his part, Retno said Indonesia hopes to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation with China and work together to safeguard regional peace and stability.

Tensions between Israelis and Palestinians were also raised in the telephone conversation.

Retno said that the current Palestinian-Israeli situation is worrying, and the international community expects China, which holds the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council this month, to play a further role in easing the tense situation.

Wang reiterated that Palestine's just rights should be respected and called on relevant parties to exercise restraint and create conditions for easing tensions and restoring dialogue.

Chinese President Xi Jinping put forward a new four-point proposal on the Palestinian issue during his talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas earlier this month, Wang said.

Palestine and Israel should strive to establish a relationship in which both sides could benefit, said Wang.

China is willing to continue to play a positive role in resolving the current Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Wang said.