It is China's belief that as long as both countries set their eyes on the future, make unremitting efforts and further explore new ways and channels for cooperation under the principle of equality, mutual benefit and common development, the two countries will become important economic and trade partners in the real sense. On the question of Middle East, Wu said that China has been closely following the developments in the situation of the Middle East and the Middle East peace process. The Middle East peace process has made some progress with the concerted efforts of parties concerned in the last 10 years. However, new difficulties and obstacles have also cropped up in the process. The serious violence and conflicts between Israel and Palestine not long ago greatly jeopardized the stability and peace of the Middle East.
China condemns the killing of Palestinian civilians by Israel.
President Jiang Zemin wrote to President Arafat and Prime Minister Barak last month, urging them to put an end to the conflicts and to restore peace talks as soon as possible. Historical experiences have proved that violence can not solve problems and peace in the Middle East can only be brought about through peace talks. Egypt is a big Arab country and has been playing an important role in pushing the peace talks. Egypt's role becomes more important at the time when difficulties crop up in the peace talks. In the wake of conflicts between Palestine and Israel, a multilateral summit meeting was held in Sharm el Sheikh of Egypt aimed at putting an end to the conflicts under the initiative of Egypt.