China said it had no plans yet to receive Palestinian foreign minister Mahmud al-Zahar, two days after the Hamas politician announced he would visit the Asian giant.

"As for the issue of foreign minister Zahar leading a Hamas delegation to China, as far as we know, China at the present stage does not have such a plan yet," the Chinese foreign ministry said in statement faxed to AFP.

Zahar, regarded as a Hamas hawk and firebrand, said on Tuesday he was planning to tour countries in East Asia, "starting with China," in late May.

"We are going to visit China and we have let the ambassador know," Zahar told reporters in Gaza after meeting the Chinese envoy to the Palestinian territories, Yang Weiguo.

While apparently issuing a denial of this, the Chinese foreign ministry, citing Yang, signaled its willingness to carry on friendly ties with the Palestinians.

"At the same time (China) hopes the new Palestinian government will undertake active steps to continue to push forward the Middle East peace process."

A visit to Beijing would have made China the second United Nations Security Council member after Russia to host Hamas leaders since the radical Islamist organization won a shock Palestinian election victory in January.

Israel has called on all foreign powers not to invite the Hamas leadership for talks before the movement, blacklisted as a terrorist organization in the West, reforms.

The armed wing of the radical Islamist movement has carried out scores of suicide bombings in Israel. Its charter calls for the destruction of the Jewish state and cites armed struggle as the key to solving the Middle East conflict.

The United States, Canada and the Netherlands have all said they would have no contact with Hamas until it gives up the right to armed struggle and recognises Israel.

China had been cautious, but relatively welcoming, in its response to the Hamas election victory in January.

"We are willing to maintain and develop our friendly relations with Palestine," Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing told a press conference in early March.

"China has been providing support and assistance to Palestine within its capacity... we will earnestly consider future Palestinian requests for assistance."