On the morning of May 1, 2010, Chinese President Hu Jintao held talks in Shanghai with visiting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who is here for a state visit and the opening ceremony of the Shanghai World Expo.
Hailing the Shanghai World Expo as a spectacular event, Abbas said that Palestine is proud of being able to participate in the Expo.
Hu pointed out that China thanked Palestine and other developing countries for their support of China's holding of the Expo.
Hu said despite the distance keeping the two countries apart, both peoples share profound friendship. Faced with the new international situation, China is ready to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation with Palestine and to push for comprehensive and in-depth development of friendly cooperative relations with the country. First, he said both sides should consolidate political friendship. China will continue to firmly support the just efforts of the Palestinian people to restore their legitimate rights and interests and to establish an independent state, and China is willing to offer economic aid within its capacity to Palestine. Second, Hu suggested the two countries explore new fields, channels and patterns to expand economic and trade cooperation to bring benefits to both peoples. Third, Hu called for closer personnel exchanges. China is ready to intensify personnel training for Palestine and offer concrete help for the country's development. Fourth, Hu suggested both sides expand cultural exchanges. The 2010 Arabic Arts Festival will be held in June in Beijing and Shanghai. China welcomes active participation of Palestinian art groups in the event to inject new vitality into cultural exchanges between the two countries.
Hu said although the situation of the Palestine-Israel issue remains grave and complex, peace is a general trend and peaceful negotiation is the only way leading to the settlement of the issue. Only when disputes were solved through peaceful negotiation, on the basis of relevant United Nations resolutions and the "land for peace" principle, the "Road Map" plan, and the Arabic Peace Initiative, could the goal of establishing an independent Palestinian state and peaceful coexistence be realized, Hu said. Chinese People will continue to promote the peace process in the Middle East and push for comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the region, Hu said.
Abbas said the two peoples share profound traditional friendship and the Palestinian people thank for China's long-standing disinterested aid to their country. Palestine attaches great importance to developing friendly cooperative relations with China, said Abbas, adding that he fully agreed to Hu's suggestions on promoting Palestine-China relations and Palestine is willing to deepen cooperation with China in the process of economic and social development. Abbas said Palestine is committed to its goal of establishing an independent state and is ready to conduct peace negotiations in line with the Arabic Peace Initiative and United Nations resolutions so as to achieve peace in the Middle East. He said China has played a positive and constructive role for the settlement of the Palestine-Israel issue and Palestine will continue to keep close consultation and contact with China to jointly push forward the peace process in the Middle East.
Prior to the talks, Hu held a welcome ceremony for Abbas at the Shanghai International Convention Center.
Yu Zhengsheng, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Secretary of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China, Ling Jihua, member of the Secretariat of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, Wang Huning, member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and director of the Policy Research Office of the CPC Central Committee, State Councilor Dai Bingguo and other officials attended the welcome ceremony.