UNRWA Commission-General Pierre Krähenbühl (left) receiving the check from China‘s ambassador to the Palestinian Authority, Chen Xingzhong (right). Photo courtesy of the Representative Office of China. 

JERUSALEM, November 24, 2016 (WAFA) - The Government of the People‘s Republic of China has contributed US$ 300,000 to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in support of the agency‘s core programs and services for Palestine refugees, including education, health, relief and social services and camp improvement, an UNRWA press release said on Thursday.

The contribution marks a 50 percent increase in China‘s annual contribution to the agency‘s program budget and was formally presented by the China’s representative to the Palestinian Authority, Ambassador Chen Xingzhong, to UNRWA Commissioner-General Pierre Krähenbühl during a signing ceremony in Ramallah on Sunday.

"I am very grateful for the increased contribution and encouraged by the deepening partnership and cooperation with China," said Krähenbühl.

"I appreciate China‘s commitment to addressing the plight of Palestine refugees and to strengthening its support to the Agency‘s human development activities. UNRWA is keen to explore further partnership opportunities with China, in particular with a focus on youth," he said.

China first contributed to UNRWA in 1964. In recent years, it has rapidly increased its contributions to the agency, and in recognition of the important partnership, the UNRWA Commissioner-General made his first official visit to the country on 5 July 2015.

M.K.