Chinese president meets Israeli prime minister

Chinese President Xi Jinping (right) shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 9, 2013.[Photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING - President Xi Jinping met with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday and pledged to make more efforts to realize peace in Middle East.

"As today's world is undergoing profound and complex changes, a new type of state-to-state relationship should be advocated and established between nations, featuring equality, inclusiveness and reciprocity," Xi said.

Xi said peace, stability and development are the common aspirations of countries in the Middle East, adding that resolving disputes through political means is a strategic option that is in the interests of all sides concerned.

He said all nations in Middle East, including Israel, are equally entitled to life and development.

"Only when the legitimate rights of all countries are ensured, and all countries respect each other's concerns, can there be permanent peace and stability in the region," Xi said.

Realizing a peaceful coexistence between Israel and Palestine, as well as all other Arabian countries, is a goal that everyone should strive for, Xi said.

Earlier this week, Xi held talks with visiting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and made a four-point proposal to resolve the dispute between Palestine and Israel.

Xi said an independent Palestinian state should be established and a peaceful coexistence between Palestine and Israel should be realized.

"Establishing an independent state that enjoys full sovereignty on the basis of borders specified in 1967 is an inalienable right of the Palestinian people and the key to the settlement of the Palestinian question. At the same time, Israel's right to exist and its legitimate security concerns should also be fully respected," Xi said in his proposal.

"(We) hope that Israel and Palestine will make joint efforts and take credible measures to build mutual trust step by step, as well as resume peace talks at an early date," he told Netanyahu during Thursday's meeting.

China will continue adhering to an impartial stance in order to facilitate talks, make contributions to resolving problems and realize peace and stability in the Middle East.

During the meeting, Netanyahu said he appreciates China's commitment to the peace process in Middle East, adding that Israel is willing to communicate with the Chinese side on the issue.

Israel longs for peace and hopes to achieve peace through negotiations, he said.

Netanyahu arrived in Shanghai on Monday and flew to Beijing Wednesday morning.

The visit is Netanyahu's second visit to China as prime minister. He made his first visit in May 1998.

Xi said Netanyahu's visit shows that the Israeli government and Netanyahu himself attach great importance to China-Israel relations.

"China also attaches importance to bilateral relations," Xi said.

Hailing the smooth development of bilateral ties since the establishment of diplomatic relations 21 years ago, Xi said he hopes the two sides will expand interaction, boost practical cooperation and increase cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

Netanyahu lauded China's development in recent years and said that Israel will treat bilateral ties strategically in order to boost cooperation between the two countries.