Chinese President Xi Jinping met with his Syrian counterpart, Bashar al-Assad, on Friday, marking the inception of a new ‘strategic partnership’ between their two nations.
Assad, on his first official visit to China in nearly two decades, has been diligently working to rebuild his country in the aftermath of a tumultuous conflict and to secure diplomatic recognition in the face of Western sanctions.
This milestone visit by Assad, his first since 2004, coincides with China’s expanding diplomatic influence in the Middle East and a rekindled acknowledgment of Damascus by regional powers that once had shunned it.
On Saturday, President Assad and his wife, Asma al-Assad, will attend the opening ceremony of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou.
Xi Jinping stated during their meeting, attended by official delegations from both countries, “Today, we will jointly announce the establishment of the China-Syria strategic partnership, which will be an important milestone in the history of bilateral relations.”
State television CCTV reported his words, and he went on to say, “Facing an international situation full of instability and uncertainties, China is willing to continue to work together with Syria, firmly support each other, promote friendly cooperation, and jointly defend international justice and equity.” Xi emphasized that the relations between China and Syria have endured the test of changing global dynamics, underscoring that “the friendship between the two countries has strengthened over time.”
China’s foreign ministry also expressed its enthusiasm, stating that Assad’s visit would elevate relations to a ‘new level.’ Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning conveyed during a regular briefing, “China and Syria have a traditional and deep friendship. We believe that President Bashar al-Assad’s visit will further deepen mutual political trust between the two countries and cooperation in various fields.”
Analysts anticipate that Assad’s visit to China will focus, in part, on securing financial support for the reconstruction efforts in Syria. This visit also aligns with a period of burgeoning Chinese diplomatic influence in the Middle East.
In the course of this year, thanks to Beijing’s mediation, regional adversaries Saudi Arabia and Iran have reconciled, reopening their embassies and pledging to end the war in Yemen. This diplomatic détente was succeeded by Syria’s return to the Arab world and the conclusion of more than a decade of regional isolation at a summit held in Saudi Arabia in May.
The United States has voiced concerns over China’s escalating influence in the Middle East and has stated that it is ‘closely monitoring’ Beijing’s actions in the region.
