The Palestinian President, Mr Yasser Arafat, has accused Israel of blocking negotiations aimed at ending the 11 months of bloodshed in the Middle East.
Speaking after meeting with senior Chinese leaders in Beijing, he said that he was ready to begin talks with Israel, but they were preventing negotiations. "They are refusing as you know," he said.
Mr Arafat made his comment after meeting with Mr Li Peng, chairman of China's National People's Congress, and briefing him on the Middle East. He also met yesterday with the Chinese President, Mr Jiang Zemin, before flying to Vietnam on the next leg of his Asian tour that will also take him to Malaysia.
In talks in Beijing, it is understood that China reaffirmed its long-standing support for a Palestinian state and offered some financial assistance. But analysts said China did not appear to have proposed any new initiatives. China yesterday called for "the utmost restraint" on the part of both Israel and Palestine, and especially Israel, and appealed for both sides to resume negotiations.
Beijing has remained largely even-handed in its policy towards the Middle East to balance ties with its old Arab allies and Israel, a key arms supplier. But China recently condemned Israel's use of force and backed a Palestinian proposal to send international observers to the region. China's recent criticism of Israel is seen as a result of Israel's cancellation of the sale of a $250 million Falcon early-warning radar system to China last year because of pressure from the US.
Israel wants China to tell Mr Arafat to end hostilities before returning to the negotiating table, according to Western diplomats.