Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas (C) attends the signing ceremony of the agreement on the construction of Palestine's Foreign Ministry new office building in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Oct. 4, 2008. The project would be funded by the Chinese government and implemented by UNDP. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    RAMALLAH, Oct. 4 (Xinhua) -- China, the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) and UN Development Program (UNDP) signed an agreement Saturday to construct the Palestinian Foreign Ministry's new office building.

    PNA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas attended the ceremony held in the West Bank city of Ramallah, and laid a corner stone for the new building which will be located in the western part of the city.

    In his speech, Abbas said that this project "is a symbol of the persistence and dedication we promised two years ago to the development of the Palestinian people."

    "I would like to thank the People's Republic of China for its support to the Palestinian people for more than 40 years," he added.

    Yang Weiguo, head of the Office of China in Palestinian territories, said the project is just part of China's program to support the development of the Palestinian territories, and it proves the friendship between the Palestinian and Chinese people.

    Yang signed the agreement of constructing the new building with Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Al Malki and the UNDP special Representative of the Administrator Jens Toyberg-Frandzen.

    According to the agreement, the project will be funded by the Chinese government, and implemented by UNDP, in cooperation with the Palestinian Foreign Ministry.

    The new office building, which is expected to be completed by the year of 2010, will provide more than 400 officials with daily office functions, meetings and conference facilities.