China And Syria On The Way To Strategic Partnership

China and Syria intend to launch a “strategic partnership.” This was stated by Chinese President Xi Jinping at negotiations with his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad, held in the city of Hangzhou, the capital of the eastern province of Zhejiang. “Today we announce the establishment of the China-Syria strategic partnership, which will mark an important milestone in the history of bilateral relations,” Xi Jinping said.

Bashar al-Assad, accompanied by his wife Asma and a large official delegation, arrived in China on Thursday evening, September 21, as part of the Syrian president’s state visit to China. The previous visit took place back in 2004.

On Friday, the Syrian President attended the opening ceremony for the 19th Asian Sports Games, after which he visited a reception hosted by Xi Jinping along with Crown Prince of Kuwait Sheikh Mishaal Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and South Korean Prime Minister Han Dak-soo.

President Xi Jinping also recalled that Kuwait became “the first Gulf Arab country to establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China, as well as the first country in the Middle East that signed an agreement to join the Belt and Road Initiative,” the so-called “New Silk Road”, laid by the Chinese leader in 2013.
On Saturday in Beijing, President Assad will continue a series of intensive talks with Xi Jinping and other Chinese political and government officials. According to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning, Assad’s visit “will further deepen mutual political trust and cooperation in various fields, pushing bilateral relations to new heights.”