Beijing urges just approach to peace in Middle East

China expressed strong opposition on Friday to the United States' decision to impose sanctions on officials from the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization, calling the move "shocking" and counterproductive to international peace efforts.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun made the remarks at a regular news briefing in Beijing, responding to the US State Department's announcement on Thursday that it would impose visa bans on certain Palestinian officials.

"It is in our national security interests to impose consequences and hold the PLO and PA accountable for not complying with their commitments and undermining the prospects for peace," the US announcement read.

"China is shocked by the US sanctions against officials of the PA and the PLO, and is deeply disappointed and puzzled by the US' disregard for international efforts to promote peace," Guo said.

He stressed that the Palestinian question is at the heart of the Middle East issue and is a matter of international fairness and justice.

"At a time when the Palestinian question stands at a critical historical juncture, the international community, especially the US, should adopt a fair, just and responsible attitude," Guo said.

The spokesman urged Washington to earnestly implement relevant United Nations resolutions and to work actively in facilitating a proper resolution of the Palestinian question, rather than doing the opposite.

"China firmly supports the Palestinian people's just cause of restoring their legitimate national rights and supports the PA's effective jurisdiction over all of Palestine's territory, including the Gaza Strip and the West Bank," Guo said.

He also reiterated Beijing's support for a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Palestinian question based on the two-state solution as well as its willingness to work with the international community to make relentless efforts to this end.

Washington's sanctions came as many of the US allies have vowed to recognize Palestinian statehood ahead of September's UN General Assembly meeting in New York.

Following France and the United Kingdom, Canada announced on Wednesday that it plans to recognize a Palestinian state in September, in a move to preserve hopes for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through the two-state solution.