Syria’s Bashar Assad touched down in China on Thursday, marking his first go to to the nation because the onset of the 12-year civil conflict, one wherein Beijing has been one in every of his foremost backers.
China’s Foreign Ministry mentioned Assad would be part of different overseas leaders attending the opening ceremony of the Asian Games, a world sports activities occasion starting Saturday within the japanese metropolis of Hangzhou.
China has been increasing its attain within the Middle East after mediating a deal in March between Saudi Arabia and Iran, and it continues to assist Assad within the Syrian battle, which has killed half one million folks and left massive components of the nation in ruins.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning mentioned Assad’s go to would “further deepen political mutual trust and cooperation in various fields between the two countries and push bilateral relations to a new level.”
Assad and Chinese President Xi Jinping had been set to satisfy for “in-depth talks” on a spread of points, she mentioned.
The Syrian chief landed in Hangzhou on Thursday, based on Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.
Xi was anticipated to reach there Friday and maintain a banquet and bilateral actions with Assad and different heads of state and authorities attending the video games from international locations pleasant to China, together with Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni, Kuwait’s Crown Prince Sheikh Meshal Al Ahmed Al Jaber and Nepali Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, based on China’s Foreign Ministry.
Nepal’s prime minister will arrive Saturday and be in China for one week, the Nepali Foreign Ministry mentioned. Besides Hangzhou, he can even go to town of Chongqing and Lhasa, the capital of Tibet.
China may play a significant position sooner or later in Syria’s reconstruction, which is anticipated to price tens of billions of {dollars}. Syria final yr joined China’s Belt and Road Initiative wherein Beijing expands its affect in creating areas by way of infrastructure tasks.
Assad’s workplace mentioned earlier that the Syrian chief was invited by Xi and would carry with him a high-ranking Syrian delegation.
Syria’s worsening financial disaster has led to protests in government-held components of the nation. Syria blames the disaster on Western sanctions and U.S.-backed Kurdish terrorist teams who management among the nation’s largest oil fields within the east close to the border with Iraq.
Diplomatic contacts between Syria and different Arab international locations have intensified following the Feb. 6, earthquake that hit Türkiye and Syria killing greater than 50,000 folks, together with over 6,000 in Syria. Assad flew to Saudi Arabia in May the place he attended the Arab League summit days after Syria’s membership was reinstated within the 22-member group.
Since Syria’s battle started in March 2011 with pro-democracy protests and later become a civil conflict, Iran and Russia have helped Assad regain management of a lot of the nation.
China has used its veto energy on the U.N. eight instances to cease resolutions in opposition to Assad’s authorities, the most recent in July 2020.
Assad’s final and solely go to to China was in 2004, a yr after the U.S.-led invasion of neighboring Iraq and at a time when Washington was placing strain on Syria.
Source: www.dailysabah.com