China emphasized its long-standing backing for the "just cause" of Palestinians Wednesday following a United Nations resolution on the Middle East, which for the first time referred to a Palestinian state.
"China will support, as always, the just cause of the Palestinians to restore their legal rights," senior Chinese foreign ministry official Yang Wenchang said, according to the official Xinhua news agency.
No reference had been made to the UN resolution by Yang, but Beijing has long recognized a state of Palestine with Yasser Arafat as its president.
In addition, Yang issued a condemnation of Israeli incursions into Palestinian territory, Xinhua continued.
He told a meeting of 22 envoys from the League of Arab States that China was "anxious and deeply concerned" regarding the number of casualties and property destruction suffered by Palestinians.
"China condemns Israel's military attacks, its economic blockade of Palestine, and abhors its act of limiting the freedom of movement of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat and of destroying his headquarters and official buildings in Gaza and Nablus," the report said. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
