Interview: Abbas says Palestine to discuss cooperation with China on Belt & Road Initiative

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has said Palestine will discuss with China ways to carry out cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.

The president made the remarks during an interview with Xinhua here ahead of his state visit to China, which is slated for July 17-20.

It will be Abbas's fourth visit to China. He said Palestine thinks highly of the theme of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.

The forum, held in Beijing in May, took the theme of strengthening international cooperation and co-building the Belt and Road for win-win development, he added.

The Belt and Road Initiative, proposed by China in 2013, refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. It aims to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient trade routes.

Abbas said Palestine believes that it is important to deepen its relationship with China, which is of special historic significance.

As a major country in the world, China plays an important role on the world and regional stage, Abbas said, adding that China could make positive contribution to helping achieve peace and stability in the Middle East and promoting the development of the political process in the region.

Abbas said he will give emphasis to the four-point proposal put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping in May 2013 for the settlement of the Palestinian issue, as well as the proposals regarding Palestine that Xi raised in his address at the Arab League's headquarters in Cairo, the Egyptian capital, in January 2016.

Abbas hopes to exchange views with Chinese leaders on the Middle East during his upcoming visit to China, and to negotiate over anti-terrorism and anti-violence measures.

Palestine supports China's peaceful reunification, Abbas said.

The Palestinian president stressed that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict should be resolved through peace talks, and a permanent peace deal should be reached.

Palestine insists on building an independent state along the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, Abbas said.