GAZA CITY (AFP) -Palestinian foreign minister Mahmud al-Zahar announced that he would visit China in May following talks in Gaza City with Beijing’s envoy to the Palestinian territories.

“We are going to visit China and we have let the ambassador know,” Zahar, whose Hamas-led government is boycotted by a number of Western countries, told reporters after meeting Yang Wel Guo.

“We are going to go to east Asia, probably in late May, to attend an international conference. During the same month we are going to tour countries in east Asia, starting with China,” he added.

Zahar gave no details on the precise nature of the “conference”.

Last month, Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said “we are willing to maintain and develop our friendly relations with Palestine… we will earnestly consider future Palestinian requests for assistance.”