Abbas starts state visit to China

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas began a visit to China that comes as Beijing is seeking a larger role in Mideast politics and competing for energy resources. (File/SPA)

• Abbas is the first Arab head of state hosted by China this year, which Palestinians see as an indication of the warm, friendly relations between Beijing and the Palestinian Authority
• During the visit, Abbas will discuss strengthening bilateral relations with Chinese President Xi Jinping and exchange views on the latest developments in the Palestinian cause

RAMALLAH: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas started a three-day state visit to China on Tuesday.
Abbas is the first Arab head of state hosted by China this year, which Palestinians see as an indication of the warm, friendly relations between Beijing and the Palestinian Authority.
During the visit, Abbas will discuss strengthening bilateral relations with Chinese President Xi Jinping and exchange views on the latest developments in the Palestinian cause, as well as regional and international issues of common concern. He will also meet several senior Chinese officials.
Abbas is accompanied by PLO Member of the Executive Committee Ziyad Abu Amr; Minister of Foreign Affairs Riyad Al-Maliki; Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Palestine Investment Fund Mohammed Mustafa; The chief justice of Palestine and adviser to the president for religious affairs and Islamic relations, Mahmoud Al-Habash; Advisor to the President for Diplomatic Affairs Majdi Al-Khalidi; and Palestinian Ambassador to China Fariz Mahdawi.
The Palestinian president visited China in May 2013 and met Xi, while a bilateral meeting took place between the two in December last year on the sidelines of the first Arab-Chinese summit hosted by Saudi Arabia in Riyadh.
China supports the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said earlier that President Abbas is an “old and good friend of the Chinese people,” highlighting the decision to invite him as the first Arab head of state to visit the country this year.
As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, he stressed that China would continue to work with the international community to find a comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the Palestinian issue.
Abbas, disappointed with Biden and the US administration, has turned to Russia and China to ask for their support in confronting Israel.
Ghassan Al-Khatib, a Palestinian political analyst, told Arab News that Abbas’ visit to China constitutes “an important step in the right direction” due to the president’s frustration with the policies and procrastination of the US, as well as its bias in favor of Israel.
He added that Abbas’ approach to China could encourage Beijing to play a diplomatically supportive role for the Palestinians, creating regional balance.
Al-Khatib said that Abbas would ask China to play an active role in the Palestinian file, which the US has monopolized since the Oslo negotiations.
He highlighted the need to maintain contact with China to keep officials in Beijing informed of the latest developments in the Palestinian territories.
“There is a need to maintain relations between the Palestinian Authority (and China), and to carry out mutual visits and a continuous diplomatic effort,” said Al-Khatib, who ruled out the possibility of China placing pressure on Israel to ease its policies against Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Other observers say that Abbas’ visit to China is part of a bid by Beijing to strengthen its position on the international stage rather than a serious attempt to resolve the Israel-Palestine conflict.