Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan said China will continue to support the Middle East peace process while it backs the Palestinian struggle to regain legitimate national rights and interests, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Sun Yuxi told reporters at a press briefing held yesterday in Beijing.
According to Sun, Tang talked with Palestinian Foreign Minister Farouk Al Kadoumy on the phone yesterday morning at the latter's request.
Tang congratulated Kadoumy on the upcoming Arab summit, and said he hopes it will play an important role in resolving current conflicts in the region, Sun said.
China supports the peace process in the Mideast and has always maintained that United Nations resolutions regarding the region and the principle of "land for peace" should be the basis for peace talks, Tang said.
The foreign minister insisted the international community has the responsibility and obligation to take further measures to push for substantive results in the peace process.
In response to questions about reports that some US congressmen will table a resolution opposing China's bid for the 2008 Olympic Games, Sun said: "This is a slight and a challenge to Olympic principles and will definitely be opposed by all peoples of the world who uphold justice.
"The reason that Chinese people support Beijing's bid for the 2008 Olympic Games is to support the spread of the Olympic ideal," Sun said.
"We think any discrimination against a country on racial, religious or any other political grounds is not in keeping with the spirit of the Olympic movement."
(China Daily 03/23/2001)
