Jordanian King Abdullah II welcomed a Chinese parliamentary delegation as the two countries marked 35 years of diplomatic ties. During a working lunch he hosted at Basman Palace, the King and the Chinese team, headed by Vice President of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China Han Qide, discussed ways of cementing Sino-Jordanian relations in various fields. King Abdullah II said Beijing has a key role in the Middle East peace process and the setting up of an independent Palestinian state on national Palestinian soil, Jordan News Agency (Petra) reported. Turning to Syria, King Abdullah II noted China's support of the Arab League position calling for a peaceful solution to the Syrian crisis without foreign military intervention, urging intensive efforts to end the crisis.
