China renews support for Syria, accelerates reconstruction
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China Li Keqiang said his government is keen to support Syria in combating the coronavirus pandemic, improving the livelihood of its people, and accelerating reconstruction, according to a letter sent to Syrian Prime Minister Hussein Arnous.
In the letter, Keqiang said the Chinese government “attaches great importance to developing relations with Syria,” according to the official government agency SANA.
The two countries “have traditional friendly relations and have long exchanged understanding and mutual support on issues related to core interests and major concerns of the two countries.”
At the beginning of August, Chinese Ambassador to Syria Feng Biao described the relations between his country and Syria as “the loyal friend relation.”
According to Arnous, the Chinese premier expressed his country’s readiness to “make joint efforts with the Syrian government to consolidate the traditional friendship between the two countries and constantly push forward cooperative relations, wishing Syria and its people security and prosperity.”
On July 17, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad met with State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on his first visit to Syria.
China will further strengthen cooperation with Syria in such areas as COVID-19 response, counter-terrorism, agriculture, economy, trade and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). China stands ready to work together with Syria to act on the strategic guidance of our two heads of state,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian.
The British newspaper The Guardian published an analysis of its correspondent in the Middle East in which it sheds light on the devastation that the Syrian economy is experiencing, and the opportunity that China is seekingg to take advantage of in light of this devastation.
China’s high-visibility stake in postwar Syria “was straight from its playbook elsewhere in the Middle East, as well as in Asia and Africa: windfall investments in return for local access and global cover.”
“Reconstruction has been central to the plans of Syria’s allies Russia and Iran; now China, which had maintained a less involved policy through much of the fighting, sniffs opportunity.”
“China’s inroads in the Middle East have been steady and cautious, extending to taking stakes in Iraq’s oilfields and in the critical infrastructure of the UAE.”