Chinese language President Xi Jinping held talks with Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad on Friday, and mentioned the 2 leaders would unveil a brand new “strategic partnership”.
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Assad is on his first official journey to China in virtually 20 years as he seeks monetary help to rebuild his devastated nation, in addition to rehabilitation for his regime from years of isolation over Syria’s civil warfare.
He’ll attend the opening ceremony of the nineteenth Asian Video games in Hangzhou on Saturday.
Xi and Assad met within the japanese Chinese language metropolis on Friday afternoon, state media mentioned.
“As we speak, we’ll collectively announce the institution of the China-Syria strategic partnership, which is able to turn into an necessary milestone within the historical past of bilateral relations,” Xi instructed Assad, based on a readout from state broadcaster CCTV.
“Confronted with a global state of affairs filled with instability and uncertainty, China is keen to proceed to work along with Syria, firmly help one another, promote pleasant cooperation, and collectively defend worldwide equity and justice,” he added.
Relations between the 2 international locations “have withstood the check of worldwide modifications”, Xi mentioned.
“And the friendship between the 2 international locations has been strengthened over time,” he added.
The leaders have been every flanked by 9 aides at a big rectangular picket desk, a CCTV video clip confirmed, as two flags from every nation have been set in entrance of a Chinese language portray within the assembly room.
‘New stage’
China is one in every of solely a handful of nations outdoors the Center East that Assad has visited because the 2011 begin of a civil warfare that has killed greater than half one million folks, displaced thousands and thousands extra, and battered Syria’s infrastructure and business.
China’s overseas ministry has mentioned his go to will take ties to a “new stage”.
“China and Syria have a standard and deep friendship,” overseas ministry spokesperson Mao Ning instructed an everyday briefing.
“We consider that President Bashar Al-Assad’s go to will additional deepen mutual political belief and cooperation in varied fields between the 2 international locations,” she added.
Assad’s go to is his first to China since 2004.
Analysts anticipate Assad’s go to to China will focus, partly, on funds for reconstruction.
It additionally comes as China’s affect within the Center East grows.
This yr Beijing brokered a deal that noticed longtime regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Damascus-backer Iran agree to revive ties and reopen their respective embassies.
The detente was adopted by Syria’s return to the Arab fold at a summit in Saudi Arabia in Might, ending greater than a decade of regional isolation.
(AFP)