beijing • China will host a meeting between Palestinian and Israeli politicians from tomorrow, marking another step in Beijing’s cautious but deepening involvement in the Middle East.

The seminar of “Israeli and Palestinian people for peace” will be attended by Israel’s former deputy foreign minister Yossi Beilin, and by a former minister in the Palestinian Authority, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told a regular news briefing in Beijing yesterday.

“China staunchly supports any efforts favourable to peace in the Middle East,” Qin said.

Beilin was one of the architects of the 1993 Oslo peace accord between Israel and the Palestinians.

A Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman later said the three-day meeting was the first of its kind for China. Beijing has sought friendly ties with both Israel and the Palestinians and called for peace between them, but has played a minor role in efforts to broker compromise.

A Chinese expert on the Middle East said the meeting might be an exploratory step.

“I think this shows that China is thinking of a bigger role in resolving the Israeli-Palestinian issue,” said Guo Xiangang of the China Institute of International Studies, a think-tank in Beijing.

“The Arab states have been calling on China to play a bigger role, and China is starting to think in that direction as its international role matures.”

China has had an envoy on Middle Eastern affairs for several years, added Guo.

“But until now China has kept itself to issuing statements, and giving limited aid to the Palestinians,” he said.

China’s Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing will meet those attending and its special envoy on Middle East issues, Sun Bigan, and assistant foreign minister Zhai Jun, will attend the seminar, the spokesman Qin said.