RIYADH: The newly appointed Chinese ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Chang Hua, said that the issue of Palestine must be resolved. Speaking at his residence in Riyadh, Hua expressed strong support for the establishment of an independent, fully sovereign state of Palestine. “This is a basic solution to solve all the problems in the Middle East,” the envoy said. The seven-month war in Gaza has killed more than 35,000 people and displaced hundreds of thousands of Palestinians. “As a former ambassador to Iran and currently an ambassador to the Kingdom, I am honored to personally participate in establishing a mechanism — a joint Chinese-Saudi-Iranian committee. I will make more efforts to advance the mechanism to achieve further results.” The resumption of relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran was established on March 10, 2023 in a deal brokered by China. “China, as an important party to the Beijing Agreement, will continue to push Saudi-Iranian relations to progress continuously. We restore it to make joint efforts with Saudi Arabia in creating beneficial conditions to advance the implementation of the Beijing Agreement and enhance tripartite dealings.” The ambassador added: “I think this mechanism could be a model for peace in the Middle East. In fact, in 2021, the minister of foreign affairs visited Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Turkiye on a tour in this region, and presented peace proposals to me within five points. We are still continuing this talk and we want to enhance stability and security in this region.” Hua has decades of experience in the Middle East, having served as an ambassador in Yemen, Iran, and the UAE. Addressing the relations between the two countries, the envoy said: “China and Saudi Arabia enjoy a comprehensive strategic partnership. In politics, the two sides have exchanged firm support on issues related to the other side’s core interests and major concerns. “China views Saudi Arabia as an important power in a multipolar world, and places the development of relations with Saudi Arabia as a priority in its overall foreign policy, especially within its diplomacy in the Middle East. “In addition, China and the Kingdom pursue an independent foreign policy. It calls on the two countries to preserve the international order based on the ‘United Nations Charter’ and international law. In the United Nations, the G20, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and other international platforms and international and regional hot issues, China and Saudi Arabia have long maintained constant communication and close coordination, and we have worked together to promote global peace and stability and achieve development and prosperity.” In December 2022, the first China-Arab Summit was held in Riyadh. “They (both sides) continue to work collectively to build the Chinese-Arab community with all its potential toward a new era. The Arab-Chinese summit is the first to amplify the driving force for the development of Chinese-Arab relations, but it is the forum in the new phase.” The 10th session of the China-Arab Cooperation Ministerial Forum will be held soon. The Chinese side is prepared to work together with the Arab side to continue fostering the spirit of Arab friendship, strengthening and enriching China-Arab cooperation, thereby advancing the interests of the Chinese-Arab community at an elevated level for the future.