BEIJING -- President Xi Jinping met with visiting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Beijing on Wednesday, where both announced a strategic partnership between China and Palestine.

Abbas, who kicked off his four-day state visit to China on Tuesday, is the first Arab head of state hosted by China this year.

During their meeting on Wednesday, Xi put forward a three-point proposal for the settlement of the Palestinian question and voiced China's support for Palestine in becoming a full member state of the United Nations. He said China stands ready to play a positive role in assisting Palestine in achieving internal reconciliation and promoting peace talks.

SIGNIFICANT MEETING

This year marks the 35th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between China and Palestine. China is among the first countries to recognize the Palestine Liberation Organization and the State of Palestine.

China has all along firmly supported the Palestinian people's just cause of restoring their legitimate national rights and worked for a comprehensive, just and durable solution to the Palestinian question at an early date, Xi said on Wednesday.