Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Hangzhou, capital city of east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 22, 2023.
Sept 23,
2023. Posted by Balkan
Periscope - Hellas
Hangzhou. China
Chinese
President Xi Jinping and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Friday jointly
announced the establishment of a China-Syria strategic partnership.
The two presidents met in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, ahead of the opening of the 19th Asian Games scheduled for Saturday.
Syria was
one of the first Arab countries that established diplomatic relations with the
People's Republic of China, and was one of the countries that co-sponsored the
resolution to restore the lawful seat of the People's Republic of China in the
United Nations, Xi said.
Over the 67
years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two
countries, the China-Syria relationship has stood the test of changes in the
international situation, and their friendship has grown stronger over time, he
said.
Xi noted
that the establishment of the strategic partnership will be an important
milestone in the history of bilateral ties.
China is
willing to work with Syria to enrich their relationship and continuously
advance the China-Syria strategic partnership, Xi said.
Xi
emphasized that China will continue to work with Syria to firmly support each
other on issues concerning the two sides' respective core interests and major
concerns, safeguard the common interests of both countries and other developing
countries, and uphold international fairness and justice.
China
supports Syria in opposing foreign interference, rejecting unilateralism and
bullying, and safeguarding national independence, sovereignty and territorial
integrity, he said.
China
supports Syria in conducting reconstruction, enhancing counter-terrorism
capacity building, and promoting a political settlement of the Syrian issue
following the "Syrian-led, Syrian-owned" principle, Xi said.
China also supports Syria in improving its relations with other Arab countries and playing a greater role in international and regional affairs, he added.
China is
willing to strengthen Belt and Road cooperation with Syria, increase the import
of high-quality agricultural products from Syria, and jointly implement the
Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global
Civilization Initiative to make active contributions to regional and global
peace and development.
Assad said
that in international affairs, China has always aligned itself with international
fairness and justice, and upheld international law and humanitarianism, playing
an important and constructive role.
Syria
highly appreciates and firmly supports the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global
Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global
Civilization Initiative, and will actively participate in them, Assad added.
The Syrian
side thanks the Chinese government for its invaluable support to the Syrian
people, firmly opposes any act of interference in China's internal affairs, and
is willing to be China's long-term and staunch friend and partner, he said.
Assad said
Syria will take the establishment of the Syria-China strategic partnership as
an opportunity to strengthen bilateral friendly cooperation and step up their
communication and coordination in international and regional affairs.
After the
talks, the two heads of state witnessed the signing of bilateral cooperation
documents in areas including Belt and Road cooperation, and economic and
technological cooperation.
The two
sides issued a joint statement on the establishment of the strategic
partnership.
Senior
Chinese leaders including Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Wang Yi and Shen Yiqin
attended the activities.
Xinhua