30/4/2025
Member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization and Head of the Refugee Affairs Department, Dr. Ahmad Abu Holi, met with the Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to the State of Palestine, Cheng Zhisheng, to discuss the latest political developments in the Palestinian territories and the region amid the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip.
During the meeting, which took place in Ramallah, the two sides reviewed the conditions of Palestinian refugees in the five areas of operations of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), as well as the political, operational, and financial challenges facing the agency—particularly in light of escalating regional crises and their impact on UNRWA’s operations and refugee stability.
Dr. Abu Holi stressed the importance of sustainable international support for UNRWA and the need to strengthen partnerships with friendly countries, particularly China, to ensure the continued provision of essential services to Palestinian refugees and to preserve their rights until a just resolution to their cause is achieved.
Dr. Abu Holi, during his meeting with the Chinese Ambassador on Wednesday at the headquarters of the Refugee Affairs Department in Ramallah, affirmed the continued, irreplaceable role of UNRWA in accordance with its mandate granted by the UN General Assembly through Resolution 302. He emphasized that the agency is a cornerstone of humanitarian work in the Gaza Strip and a lifeline for millions of Palestinian refugees in Palestine and in host countries—Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. UNRWA also represents a living embodiment of the international community’s responsibility toward the Palestinian refugee issue until a political solution is found in accordance with UN Resolution 194.
Dr. Abu Holi expressed his appreciation to the People's Republic of China for its growing financial support to UNRWA and for providing additional funding in 2024. He called on China to further increase its contributions to help cover the significant funding gap facing UNRWA’s budget, following the suspension of funding by the United States and Sweden—which together accounted for 40% of UNRWA’s core (program) budget, estimated at $880 million for this year. He also noted that several European countries have recently reduced their contributions as well.
Dr. Abu Holi praised China's supportive stance for UNRWA in international forums and during Security Council briefings, and its rejection of two Israeli laws that ban the agency’s activities and target its facilities and staff. He called on the People’s Republic of China to host and sponsor an international conference on its territory to support and mobilize financial resources for UNRWA.
He also briefed Ambassador Cheng Zhisheng on the situation in Palestinian refugee camps in the northern West Bank, which have been suffering under ongoing military operations since January. These attacks have led to the destruction of infrastructure in the Tulkarm, Nur Shams, and Jenin camps, the displacement of over 45,000 Palestinians, and dozens of casualties. He further outlined the ongoing genocide in the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, which has resulted in over 200,000 deaths and injuries, more than 11,000 missing persons, and the destruction of more than two-thirds of homes, public and private facilities, and essential infrastructure. He warned of Israel’s attempts to eliminate the Palestinian presence in Gaza through forced displacement and ethnic cleansing.
Dr. Abu Holi warned that famine now threatens more than 2.4 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip as Israel continues to close all crossings since March 1, preventing the entry of aid, fuel, medicine, electricity, and water.
He also addressed the dire living conditions of Palestinian refugees in diaspora camps, where poverty and unemployment rates have soared above 85%. He emphasized that living conditions are expected to worsen as UNRWA’s financial crisis deepens, leaving the agency unable to meet refugees’ needs or continue providing cash, food, and in-kind assistance.
Dr. Abu Holi reaffirmed the deep-rooted historical relations between Palestine and China, noting that the People's Republic of China, under the leadership of the Communist Party, remains a key supporter of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and their struggle. He praised China’s role in fostering Palestinian unity under the umbrella of the PLO, and its hosting of the national dialogue of Palestinian factions in Beijing in July 2024, which culminated in the “Beijing Declaration for Reconciliation.”
He also commended China’s political support for the Palestinian cause and its efforts with the international community to achieve the two-state solution through an international conference that would lay out a clear timeline and roadmap. Dr. Abu Holi highlighted China’s practical support of President Mahmoud Abbas’s peace initiative through calls for a comprehensive international peace conference, as well as China’s backing of the Palestinian-Egyptian reconstruction plan—which has become the Arab-Islamic plan to rebuild Gaza and prevent forced displacement.
For his part, Chinese Ambassador Cheng Zhisheng reaffirmed China’s continued support for the Palestinian people and their legitimate rights. He emphasized the importance of UNRWA’s ongoing work and reiterated China’s commitment to political and humanitarian support for the Palestinian cause in all international forums.
“China supports UNRWA on all levels, and this will not change,” said Ambassador Cheng.
He also expressed deep concern over the difficult conditions faced by the Palestinian people, especially refugees, and confirmed China’s close monitoring of their suffering.
The Ambassador provided an overview of projects implemented by the Chinese government in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, affirming that China, through its various institutions, contributes to supporting Palestine, the refugee camps, and UNRWA.
Both sides agreed to enhance bilateral cooperation to provide humanitarian support to refugees and strengthen their resilience in the face of ongoing challenges.
