The Office of China in Palestinian territories has held an opening ceremony for a new visa office in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

The new spacious visa office, decorated with red Chinese lantern and Chinese ties, can accommodate some 20 visa applicants.

Yang Weiguo, head of the Office of China in Palestinian territories, said on the occasion that the new complex is intended to improve working efficiency, as it saw increasing exchanges between the two sides.

"It used to be a small office, which is merely 9 square meters large. And all the visa applicants had to wait at such small space. But now, as we predict that, the number of applicants will be larger. The new visa office can facilitate the local visa applicants and promote our work efficiency, and also it is a window to show China's image."

The official added that a new visa office is badly needed as more than 3,000 Palestinians applied visa for China last year.

Abdallah Hasan Al Ifranji, the director-general of Fatah International Department also presented.

He praised China's efforts to help the Palestinian visa applicants, saying the new visa office witnesses the growing friendship between China and the Palestinian territories.