Visiting Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Yang Wenchang made these remarks during his meeting with Palestinian National Authority (PNA) Chairman Yasser Arafat at Arafat's badly-damaged compound in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

Arafat expressed his gratitude toward the Chinese government and Chinese President Jiang Zemin for sending Yang to visit Palestine at the hardest time for the Palestinian people.

Despite the difficult situation, the PNA continues to be devoted to peace talks and opposes violence against innocent civilians, Arafat said.

Arafat called on the international community to take actions as soon as possible to stop the deterioration of the situation in the region.

Yang said that China keeps a close eye on the development of situation in the region, adding that China believes that the Palestinian issue is at the core of the Middle East issue, and without a reasonable solution to this problem there won't be peace in the region.

China appreciates PNA's strategic choice of the road of peace negotiations and the Arab peace initiatives adopted at the Arab summit held in Lebanon in March.

Yang said that history has approved that there's no military solution to the conflict in the Middle East and only political talks can lead to the normalization of Arab-Israeli relations.

He said that China, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, has been engaged in diplomatic efforts to ease the tension in the region while ensuring the safety of Arafat.

China will continue these efforts in the time to come, he stressed.

Yang reiterated that Arafat is the leader elected by the Palestinian people and widely recognized by the international community.

He noted that China will continue to provide moral support and economic assistance within its ability for the cause of the Palestinian people.

(Xinhua News Agency June 21, 2002)