China ready to facilitate Palestine-Israel peace talks, says FM Qin Gang

China ready to facilitate Palestine-Israel peace talks, says FM Qin Gang

Beijing (Web Desk/Agencies): China has shown willingness to help facilitate peace talks between Israel and Palestine, state media Xinhua reported on Tuesday.

In telephonic talks, Chinese foreign minister Qin Gang told his Israeli and Palestinian counterparts that China encourages both sides to show political courage and take steps to resume peace talks.

"China is concerned about current tension and its top priority is to bring situation under control and prevent the conflict getting out of control" the Chinese FM said.

He urged both sides to maintain calm, exercise restraint and avoid any provocative statements or actions.

In both calls Qin emphasized China's push for peace talks on the basis of implementing a "two-state solution," Xinhua said.

It is pertinent to mention that China has been on a recent diplomatic offensive, brokering the restoration of ties in March between Iran and Saudi Arabia -- rivals in a region where the United States for decades has been the main diplomatic powerbroker.

Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations have been stalled since 2014.