President Xi Jinping speaks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on the phone

On the evening of 20 July, President Xi Jinping spoke with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on the phone.

On behalf of the Chinese government and people, Xi extended deep sympathies and firm support to the Palestinian government and people as they are fighting COVID-19. He underscored that China and Palestine, as good brothers, good friends and good partners, have all along enjoyed mutual trust and firmly supported each other on issues concerning each other's core interests and major concerns. Since the start of COVID-19, China has sent multiple batches of medical supplies and a medical team to Palestine, organized video conferences between Chinese and Palestinian medical experts and provided help to Palestinian refugees in fighting the virus.

Xi said that China will continue to share its containment experience with Palestine without reservation and provide material and technical support to the best of its ability. China will also continue to carry out projects, in accordance with Palestine's needs, to help it grow the economy and improve people's lives, so as to deliver greater benefit to its people. China stands ready to work more closely with Palestine and other countries to uphold multilateralism and build a community with a shared future for mankind.

Xi stressed that the Palestinian question remains at the heart of the Middle East situation. It bears on regional peace and stability, international fairness and justice, and human conscience and credibility. China adopts a consistent and clear position on this question. China firmly supports Palestine's just demands and all the efforts that are conducive to the settlement of the question. China calls for keeping to the right direction of the two-state solution and to equal dialogue and negotiation. The international community needs to take an objective and impartial position and forge synergy to promote peace. China is ready to make continued contribution to bringing about a comprehensive, just and enduring solution to the Palestinian question as early as possible.

Abbas said that Palestine commends China on the major achievement in fighting COVID-19. Palestine thanks China for providing timely and valuable support and assistance to combat the virus, for upholding fairness and justice on the Palestinian question, and for safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of the Palestinian people. Facts have proven time and again that China is the most reliable friend of the Palestinian people. Palestine will continue to firmly stand with China and resolutely support China's just position on Hong Kong, Xinjiang and other issues concerning China's core interests. Palestine looks forward to China playing a more important role in promoting a just settlement of the Palestinian question.