BEIJING -- President Xi Jinping has sent congratulations to a UN meeting held on Tuesday to commemorate the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.

In his message, Xi said that the Palestinian issue lies at the heart of the Middle East conflict, affecting international fairness, justice and regional stability.

He added that under the current circumstances, the international community should build greater consensus and take more proactive steps to ensure a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire in Gaza and prevent a resurgence of conflict.

Noting that post-conflict governance and reconstruction in Gaza should be carried out under the principle of "Palestinians governing Palestine," with full respect for the will of the Palestinian people and due regard for the legitimate concerns of countries in the region, Xi stressed the urgency of swiftly improving the humanitarian situation in Gaza and alleviating the suffering of the Palestinian people. Most importantly, he said, efforts should be anchored in the pursuit of a two-state solution to promote an early political settlement of the Palestinian issue.

Xi emphasized that the Palestinian issue is also a test of the effectiveness of the global governance system. He called on the international community to confront the root causes of the Palestinian issue, shoulder responsibility, take strong actions, correct historical injustices, and uphold fairness and justice.

As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China firmly supports the just cause of the Palestinian people to restore their legitimate national rights, Xi said, adding that China will continue to work with the international community to make unremitting efforts for a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Palestinian issue at an early date.