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Jeddah: Chinese
Deputy Foreign Minister Zhia Jun stressed that China is prepared
to renew its recognition of a Palestinian state if the UN Security
Council or the United Nations pass such a resolution.
He pointed
out that China was one of the first countries that recognized the
PLO in the 1960s, noting that "the young generation may not know
this information."
He made this statement in response to a
question by Asharq Al-Awsat on the possibility of his country
taking a stand similar to that recently taken by some Latin
American countries which recognized a Palestinian state.
"China regards the Muslim world countries as allies in
international affairs. We view our relations with the 57-member
states of the OIC through a long-term strategy. We believe that
our common interests are broad and we can enhance cooperation to
confront the new challenges", Jun added.
He expressed Beijing's readiness to
expand and enhance economic and cultural cooperation with the
Islamic countries. This statement followed a visit by the Chinese
deputy Foreign Minister to the OIC headquarters, the first visit
by a high-ranking Chinese government official to the OIC
headquarters.
For his part, OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu said that
the Chinese official's visit was within the framework of promoting
relations, stressing that China backs the Islamic world causes,
primarily the Palestinian issue.
"The OIC states' official stand
is congruous with China's at the United Nations and the Security
Council in New York and at the Human Rights Council in Geneva",
said Ihsanoglu.
"During this visit, we discussed our
common goals and future plans and agreed on the need to promote
political consultations between us and China", he added.
The Chinese delegation and the OIC secretary general also
discussed economic cooperation between the Islamic states in
Central Asia and China, and certain economic projects in Africa.
Both sides reviewed the steps that have been taken in preparation
for holding an academic seminar on links between the Islamic and
Chinese civilizations and their historical bonds. Both sides
agreed to hold the seminar in Istanbul to be followed by other
seminars on other aspects of Islamic-Chinese relations.
During the meeting, the OIC secretary general discussed the
previous visit he paid to the Chinese provinces of Xinjiang and
Ningzia and praised the development projects established there to
promote the standard of living of their Muslim population.
The Chinese delegation's visit to the OIC's headquarters is in
return to a visit by the OIC secretary general Ihsanoglu to China
in June. The Chinese deputy foreign minister described Ihsanoglu's
visit to China as "historic," as it was the first by professor
Ihsanoglu to Chine even though 40 years had passed since the
establishment of the OIC.
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