BEIJING, Nov. 22 (Xinhuanet) -- China can play an even larger rolein helping break the stagnant peace negotiations related to the Palestinian and Israeli conflict, assistant Foreign Minister of Egypt Ezzat Saad said here Monday at an international symposium.

    "China always takes a balanced stand on Middle East affairs, itthus maintains good relationship with both Palestinian and Israeligovernment. We highly appreciate China's participation in the Middle East peace process," Saad said at the third Sino-Eyptian Symposium.

    "We've noticed China has become very much involved in the Middle East process and expect it to play a more active role," Saad said.

    On Sunday, Chinese Vice Premier Huang Ju met with Egyptian President Muhammed Hosni Mubarak and Egyptian Prime Minister AhmedNazef in Cairo, the last leg of his four-nation tour.

    Between Monday and Tuesday, China's permanent representative tothe United Nations, Wang Guangya, will join international leaders and officials to gather at the Egyptian Red Sea Resort of Sharm el-Sheikh for the international conference on Iraq in a bid to stabilize Iraq's situation and push forward its reconstruction process.

    "The Middle East region is of strategic importance to China whose involvement will surely do good to the world peace and stability," he said.

    More than 30 senior officials and scholars attended the two-daysymposium hosted by the China Foreign Affairs University and the Egypt Institute of Diplomatic Studies. Enditem