AMMAN, Sept. 18  -- China's special envoy on Middle East affairs Gong Xiaosheng said on Thursday that China is keen to promote cooperation with the Arab countries and make positive contributions to the peace process and development in the region.

Gong made the remarks when meeting with Jordan's Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour in Amman, which is the third leg of his regional tour that took him to Palestine and Israel.

The Chinese envoy said he chose to visit Jordan as a reiteration of the Kingdom's key role in support of peace and stability in the Middle East.

The envoy, who used to be director of the Chinese Office in Palestine, ambassador to Jordan and Turkey respectively, said the situation in the Middle East is complicated and China is keen to exert the efforts needed to find a political solution to all issues in the region.

Gong also said China's support to the Palestinian issue is solid and has not changed, adding that Beijing, despite the developments in the Middle East, still believes that the Palestinian issue remains at the core of the conflict in the region.

On his part, Abdullah Ensour praised the profound relations between Jordan and China, calling for a bigger Chinese role in the efforts to achieve peace in the Middle East.

Ensour valued China's stance in supporting Arab causes, especially the Palestinian cause, while expressing the hope that China would contribute to finding a just and comprehensive solution to the prolonged Palestinian imbroglio.