Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday highly praised China's just and constructive role in the Middle East during a meeting in Ramallah with visiting China's special envoy on the Middle East issue Sun Bigan.

Abbas appraised the positive development of ties between the Palestinian territories and China, expressing gratitude for China's help to the Palestinian people.

Abbas said that Palestinians will dedicate to solving final status issues through political negotiations with Israel and achieving the goal of setting up an independent Palestinian state, adding that his people welcome China and the international community's active role in promoting the Palestinian goal.

For his part, Sun said that China welcomes the Palestinian-Israeli joint statement reached at the US-hosted Annapolis peace conference on Nov. 27, and supports the two sides holding consecutive negotiations on final status issues.

Sun expressed China's hope for early material results from the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations in order to set up an independent Palestinian state and achieve the peaceful co-existence of two states.

Sun stressed that China will continue playing a constructive role in promoting the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations through keeping consultations and mediations with all sides concerned.

Sun said that China welcomes and supports the Palestinian government's three-year development plan to revive the economy, reiterating that China has decided to donate US$11 million in free aid and will continue its effort in helping develop the Palestinian economy and improve the Palestinians' living standard.

Sun, who arrived in Ramallah Monday for a one-day visit, met earlier with Ahmed Qureia, head of the Palestinian negotiating team in talks with Israel.

Before the meetings, Sun laid a wreath on the grave of the late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat in the Palestinian president's headquarters here.

(Xinhua News Agency December 25, 2007)