STORY: China-funded projects facilitate life of Palestinians
DATELINE: June 14, 2023
LENGTH: 00:02:34
LOCATION: GAZA, Palestine
CATEGORY: SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the Chinese School
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): ODAI AL-HINDI, Director of the projects department in Ramallah
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic): AHMED GHABATRA, Local resident in Ramallah
4. SOUNDBITE 3 (Arabic): MOHAMMED RABEA, Secretary of the school's director

STORYLINE:

Palestinian officials and locals have said that China-funded projects have positively facilitated the daily life of Palestinians in the densely populated West Bank city of Ramallah.

In 2018, the Ramallah municipality established a massive China-funded ring road to ease traffic woes in the territory.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): ODAI AL-HINDI, Director of the projects department in Ramallah
"This project constituted a qualitative addition and expansion to the road network, and its cost amounted to about 7 million U.S. dollars, funded by the Chinese government. Its total length is about 8 km, as it worked to connect the villages of the new city with the heart of the city without the need to pass a long road."

Ramallah, a city of 19 square kilometers in area and home to a population of almost 70,000, is the political and economic hub for the Palestinian Authority.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic): AHMED GHABATRA, Local resident in Ramallah
"This road is a solution to a major problem for all residents of Ramallah, anyone who wants to go to the hospital, we are proud of the existence of such a road. We thank the Chinese government and everyone who contributed to its construction."

China also funded a school for male students in Ein Mesbah town in Ramallah in 2021.

Ein Mesbah, one of the most densely populated towns, had no school for males, forcing them to walk for tens of kilometers to reach the nearest school in the neighboring town.

SOUNDBITE 3 (Arabic): MOHAMMED RABEA, Secretary of the school's director
"The school starts from the fifth grade till the 12th grade, and there are more than 600 students. What distinguishes the Chinese school is its advanced equipment, laboratories, art rooms, and sports hall. Through the development in the school, students are creative in research. We thank the friendly Chinese government for this generous donation and interest in building this educational school."

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