Syrian President Bashar al-Assad arrived in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, on Thursday, marking his first trip to China in nearly two decades.
On Friday, Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with President Bashar al-Assad in Hangzhou, the capital city of East China’s Zhejiang province, China Daily reported.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning announced in Beijing on Thursday that President Xi Jinping and other Chinese leaders would engage in discussions with Assad to exchange views on bilateral relations and topics of mutual interest.
She noted that Assad’s visit would further strengthen mutual political trust and cooperation across various sectors between the two nations, elevating bilateral relations to new heights.
China and Syria share a longstanding traditional friendship, with Syria being one of the first Arab countries to establish diplomatic ties with China. Syria also co-sponsored the 1971 United Nations General Assembly resolution that restored China’s rightful seat in the UN.
The spokeswoman highlighted the sound and steady growth of China-Syria relations, emphasizing that President Assad places great importance on these relations. This marks the Syrian president’s second visit to China since assuming office in 2000.
Assad leads a high-level official delegation, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Fayssal Mikdad; the Minister of Economy and Foreign Trade, Mohammad Samer al-Khalil; the Presidential Affairs Minister, Mansour Azzam; and the Special Adviser at the Presidency of the Republic, Buthaina Shaaban.
Chinese analysts anticipate that China will play a significant role in Syria’s reconstruction projects, with considerable potential for cooperation between the two nations.
In January 2022, Syria joined China’s Belt and Road initiative, leading Chinese observers to believe that both countries will discuss and initiate various practical projects during the visit.
