China congratulated Ariel Sharon on his election as Israeli prime minister Thursday, February 8.

China is willing to continue developing its friendship with Israel based on the five principles of peaceful co-existence, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhu Bangzao at thursday's news conference.

Zhu also expressed the hope that the new Israeli administration would continue efforts to further push forward the Mideast peace process, over which China is very much concerned.

China hopes that the parties concerned would overcome difficulties and remove obstacles so as to resume peace talks as soon as possible, he said.

(People’s Daily 09/08/2001)