Palestinian foreign minister Mahmud al-Zahar hailed his trip to China -- the first by a member of the new Hamas government -- as a success after meeting his Chinese counterpart Li Zhaoxing.

Palestinian foreign minister and senior Hamas leader Mahmud al-Zahar responds to questions during an interview in Beijing. Zahar hailed his trip to China -- the first by a member of the new Hamas government -- as a success after meeting his Chinese counterpart Li Zhaoxing.[AFP]

"On a bilateral relationship, yes, it was successful," Zahar told AFP in an interview on the second day of his trip to China for a Sino-Arab forum for foreign ministers.

"I met the minister of foreign affairs (Li)... we discussed everything, we addressed our political attitudes."

Zahar's trip to Beijing was a diplomatic coup as it marked only the second time a Hamas government official had visited a United Nations Security Council member nation since the militant Islamic group won the Palestinian elections in January.

A Hamas delegation visited Russia in March.

Israel and the United States have spearheaded international efforts to isolate Hamas over its refusal to renounce violence and recognize the Jewish state's right to exist.

The United States and the European Union, which regard Hamas as a terrorist organization, suspended financial aid to the cash-strapped Palestinian Authority following Hamas' rise to power.

Asked whether his China visit would help his regime gain more recognition around the world, Zahar noted he had already visited Indonesia and Malaysia during his tour and was scheduled to visit more Arab countries.

"We are legitimate because the people voted for us," he told AFP.

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