China appreciates and supports the recent concrete steps taken by Palestine and Israel in an effort to promote peace in the Middle East.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue made the remarks at a regular press conference Tuesday in response to questions about China's expectations with regard to the US president's talks with Arab leaders in Egypt and his talks with Palestinian and Israeli officials in Jordan and to a request for China's comments on the recent positive developments in Israeli-Palestinian relations.

Zhang said China hopes that the talks will result in positive achievements, so as to encourage the early resumption of peace talks between the Israelis and the Palestinians, which will hopefully lead to a comprehensive and long-term peace in the Middle East at the earliest possible date.

The Middle East peace process is faced with a new window of opportunity, and China hopes that both the Palestinians and the Israelis will persist in their active cooperation with the international community's peace-making efforts and strive for an early resumption of peace talks.

(Xinhua News Agency June 3, 2003)