PA signs $15m agreement with China

The Secretary General of the PA Council of Ministers, Amjad Ghanim, has signed an agreement with the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Palestine, Guo Wei, for the implementation of $15 million’s worth of projects in Palestine.

After signing the agreement at the headquarters of the Secretariat General of the Council of Ministers on Thursday, Ghanim said that the first stage of the grant will be used to help school students and the poor. He thanked China for the grant it has provided at this time.

The Secretary General added that the grant comes in the context of a broad Palestinian-Chinese partnership. “This is not the first project and will not be the last presented by our partners, the Chinese government, which has a long history of supporting our Palestinian people for decades in all fields, including development and relief.”

He explained that the grants include a basket of aid exceeding $15 million, as well as many projects and initiatives in the fields of healthcare, entrepreneurship, youth, women and children’s support, relief in marginalised areas, education, technical learning, and training for Palestinian government staff.

He explained that the nature of the projects was agreed with the Chinese partners in line with the government’s strategy, which it has launched to ensure economic disengagement from Israel’s occupation, strengthen national production and improve the quality of services.

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For his part, Ambassador Guo said Chinese-Palestinian relations are historic: “We are keen to strengthen and consolidate these relations under the difficult circumstances the Palestinian people are witnessing. China is doing its best to help the Palestinian people reach a just and comprehensive peace.”

“We have formed a joint Palestinian-Chinese committee for a better use of aid provided by China. Palestine needs to develop clean infrastructure and energy, as well as general and public services. China’s government and people are keen to contribute in this Palestinian aim to improve the level of services and infrastructure,” added Guo.

He further said that China will provide more technical aid and assistance to the Palestinians until the Palestinians are liberated.

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