Chinese FM meets Palestinian counterpart

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin on the sidelines of the Seventh Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Baku, capital of Azerbaijan, on Thursday.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said China was among the first countries to recognize the State of Palestine. China and Palestine are good friends and good brothers, and the two sides have enjoyed a friendship spanning decades.

No matter how the international situation evolves, the Chinese people will always stand with the Palestinian people and firmly support their just cause of restoring their legitimate national rights, Wang said.

Wang said the China-Palestine strategic partnership has maintained its growth momentum, and China stands ready to work with Palestine to further enhance strategic mutual trust and advance bilateral relations.

The Palestinian question is the longest-standing hotspot issue and the greatest historical injustice in the world since World War II, Wang said, adding that without a just settlement of the question, there can be no lasting peace and stability in the Middle East.

Tensions in the Middle East remain high, creating new difficulties for resolving the Palestinian question, Wang said. The Palestinian question must not be marginalized, and the world must not forget the 2 million Palestinians in Gaza struggling on the brink of death, he noted.

Justice may be delayed, but it will not be denied, Wang said.

As a responsible major country, China will continue to stand on the side of international justice and oppressed peoples, and speak out actively in support of the just cause of the Palestinian people on multilateral platforms, he said.

China will also call on all peace-loving countries to firmly support a two-state solution and work together to promote a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Palestinian question as soon as possible, Wang said.

Shahin briefed Wang on the latest developments concerning the Palestinian question, stressing that the international community must not apply double standards to it. She highly commended China's consistent and just position on the Palestinian question.

Shahin said Palestine appreciates China's longstanding strong support for the Palestinian people's efforts to restore their legitimate national rights, its consistent efforts to speak up for Palestine at international multilateral occasions, and its selfless assistance in providing humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Noting that Palestine and China have enjoyed a long-standing friendship and sound cooperation, she said Palestine hopes to further strengthen bilateral relations and looks forward to China continuing to uphold justice for Palestine and playing a more important role in realizing the two-state solution.

Chinese FM meets Palestinian counterpart

Chinese FM meets Palestinian counterpart

China's auto exports are on track to surpass 10 million units in 2026 as export volumes continue to expand, with new energy vehicles emerging as the main driving force, according to the latest data released by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) on Monday.

CAAM data showed that China exported 8.2 million vehicles in the January-September period, up more than 65 percent year on year, putting annual exports on course to break the 10-million-unit mark for the first time.

This expansion has been accompanied by strong performances from several domestic automakers. Chery Group exported a cumulative 1.5 million vehicles in the first three quarters, a 65 percent increase year on year, while MG, the British brand under SAIC Motor, sold more than 280,000 units in the European market during the same period, up 23 percent.

At the same time, the geographic reach of Chinese auto exports has continued to widen, with Europe, South America, Southeast Asia and the Middle East becoming the main destination markets.

Behind these figures, new energy vehicles are turning into the key engine of export growth.

In the first nine months of the year, China exported over four million new energy vehicles, up 1.3 times year on year. Starting in June, the share of new energy vehicles in total auto exports has exceeded 50 percent for four consecutive months.

Industry observers noted this rapid rise reflects how Chinese automakers are leveraging their advantages in electrification and intelligent technologies.

Liu Yan, deputy secretary-general of the CAAM, said the export boom reflects a fundamental shift in the source of China's automotive competitiveness.

"The global competitiveness of China's automotive industry has evolved from cost-effectiveness to a systemic competitiveness centered on new energy. This is not only injecting new momentum into global green and low-carbon development, but also securing new long-term competitive advantages for Chinese automakers," she said.

China's auto exports projected to top 10 million units in 2026