China supports Palestine's efforts to build an independent state

During a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Wang said the peace talks between Palestine and Israel have entered a key stage.

SOUNDBITE(CHINESE): WANG YI, Chinese Foreign Minister

"My trip to Palestine has two aims. The first one is to strengthen the Sino-Palestinian friendship according to the agreements reached by Chinese President Xi Jinping and President Abbas in May. The second is to support and play an active role in the ongoing peace talks between Palestine and Israel, based on the four-point plan put forward by President Xi."

He called on Palestinians to stick to peace negotiations and make known their reasonable demands to gain widespread support and understanding from the international community.

For his part, Abbas said relations between Palestine and China have stood the test of time.

He said that Palestinians are grateful for China's firm support for their just cause to restore their legitimate national rights, adding that he appreciated Chinese President Xi Jinping's four-point proposal that aims to facilitate a solution to the Palestinian issue.

Abbas said Palestine is committed to peace talks with Israel and will continue to carry out negotiations in a constructive way.

Before his meeting with Abbas, Wang visited Yasser Arafat's tomb in Ramallah to pay tribute to the former Palestinian leader.