STORY: Palestinian president's visit to China to strengthen bilateral ties: official
DATELINE: June 12, 2023
LENGTH: 00:01:45
LOCATION: RAMALLAH, Palestine
CATEGORY: POLITICS

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Abbas Zaki at his office in Ramallah, Palestine
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): ABBAS ZAKI, Palestinian Fatah Central Committee member and commissioner for relations with Arab countries and China
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic): ABBAS ZAKI, Palestinian Fatah Central Committee member and commissioner for relations with Arab countries and China

STORYLINE:

A senior Palestinian official said that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's state visit to China will lay the foundation for consolidating bilateral relations.

In a recent interview with Xinhua, Abbas Zaki, a Palestinian Fatah Central Committee member and commissioner for relations with Arab countries and China, said China and Palestine are "friends closer than brothers."

Zaki said that China and Palestine have always supported each other in their core interests.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): ABBAS ZAKI, Palestinian Fatah Central Committee member and commissioner for relations with Arab countries and China
"China always supports establishing an independent State of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital and based on 1967 borders. China supports the Palestinian economy, and exchanges experiences. China always takes a position in support of the Palestinian cause, whether in the United Nations or in terms of providing support to the Palestinian people."

Speaking of the first China-Arab States Summit held last year, Zaki said it was a milestone in the history of China-Arab relations and would guide the direction for developing China-Arab relations in the new era.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic): ABBAS ZAKI, Palestinian Fatah Central Committee member and commissioner for relations with Arab countries and China
"I am very pleased to see that China has been more involved in Middle East affairs after the China-Arab States Summit last year, and contributed to the rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran. This rapprochement signaled a change in the political landscape in the Middle East."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Ramallah, Palestine.
(XHTV)