China welcomes resumption of Palestinian-Israeli peace talks

A spokesman for China's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday welcomed the resumption of stalled peace talks between Palestine and Israel.

Chief negotiators for Palestine and Israel met in Washington on Monday to prepare for the renewal of their peace talks that were suspended in October 2010 due to Israel's expansion of settlement activities on occupied Palestinian lands.

The two-day talks chaired by Israeli Justice Minister Tzipi Livni and Palestine's chief negotiator Saeb Erekat are aimed at negotiating the establishment of a Palestinian state and the peaceful co-existence of both countries.

At a press conference held Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said that Israeli and Palestinian negotiators have agreed to meet again within the next two weeks either in Israel or the Palestinian territories.

The two parties have also agreed to negotiate for a minimum of nine months in an attempt to reach an agreement on ending their conflict that has lasted for over six decades.

In a written statement, spokesman Hong Lei said China supports the two sides in overcoming obstacles and working together to constantly push for substantive progress in the peace talks.

China will be committed to promoting peace negotiations between the two sides, he said, adding that China will work with the international community to make contributions to the Palestinian-Israeli peace process as well as the security and stability of the Middle East region.