CIDCA chairman meets newly-appointed ambassadors of Palestine and Lebanon to China

Chen Xiaodong, chairman of the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), respectively met with newly-appointed Palestinian Ambassador to China Jawad Mohammed Qutish Awad and newly-appointed Lebanese Ambassador to China Milad Raad on March 26.

Chen congratulated the envoys on assuming their new positions. While meeting with Awad, he noted that China and Palestine are good friends, partners and brothers, and that the country firmly supports the just cause of the Palestinian people in restoring their legitimate national rights.

China and Lebanon enjoy traditional friendship, and bilateral relations have been healthy and stable, Chen said while meeting with Raad.

He expressed China's readiness to deepen development cooperation with Palestine and Lebanon, implement key consensus reached by the leaders of the countries and strengthen political mutual trust, thereby ushering bilateral relations into a new phase.

Ambassador Awad said that the people of Palestine and other Arab countries highly praised China's just and impartial position on the Palestine issue.

He noted that relations between the two sides have strengthened in recent years and expressed gratitude for China's long-term support for Palestine's economic and social development, especially for the large amount of urgent humanitarian assistance offered by China during the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

He said that Palestine firmly upholds the one-China principle. He also expressed willingness to deepen the development cooperation between the two countries and promote the development of the Palestine-China strategic partnership.

For his part, Ambassador Raad said that this year marks the 55th anniversary of the establishment of China-Lebanon diplomatic relations, which have maintained healthy and steady progress.

He expressed thanks for China's long-term support for Lebanon's economic growth and its people's livelihood improvement, especially for China's humanitarian assistance during the crisis. He expressed hope for stronger exchanges with the CIDCA to push for more outcomes from Lebanon-China cooperation.

The CIDCA chairman and the two ambassadors also exchanged opinions on specific development cooperation projects and regional hotspot issues.