China says it supports Palestinians' statehood bid

BEIJING (AP) — China says it supports a Palestinian plan to seek full membership in the United Nations next month.
Negotiations with Israel on the terms of Palestinian statehood have been frozen since 2008. As an alternative, the Palestinians have decided to seek U.N. recognition of an independent "Palestine" in the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem, the areas Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast war.
China's Foreign Ministry said in a statement Thursday that Wu Sike, its special envoy on the Middle East, told Palestinian leaders in a meeting in Ramallah that Beijing and the Chinese people have always supported the Palestinian cause.
On the Palestinians' bid for statehood, the statement said Wu expressed understanding, respect and support