Syrian President visits China for first time after 12 years of civil war

The South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that the office of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said that the Syrian leader will make his first visit to China in 12 years since the start of the Syrian conflict this weekend, in which Beijing is one of his main supporters.

China has expanded its sphere of influence in the Middle East after brokering a deal in March between Saudi Arabia and Iran, and continues to support Mr Assad in the conflict in Syria, which has killed half a million people and devastated much of the country.

China could play a major role in Syria’s reconstruction, which is expected to cost tens of billions of dollars. Syria last year joined China’s “Belt and Road Initiative,” a policy to expand Beijing’s influence in developing regions through infrastructure projects.

Assad's office said the Syrian leader had been invited by Chinese President Xi Jinping to attend the summit and would travel to Beijing on September 21 with a high-level Syrian delegation.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. (Photo: AP)

Syria's worsening economic crisis has led to protests in government-controlled areas, mainly in the southern province of Sweida.

Syria blames the crisis on Western sanctions and US-backed Kurdish fighters controlling its biggest oil fields in the east near the border with Iraq.

Diplomatic contacts between Syria and other Arab countries have been strengthened after the February 6 earthquake that rocked Turkey and Syria, killing more than 50,000 people, including more than 6,000 in Syria.

In May, President Assad traveled to Saudi Arabia, where he attended an Arab League summit days after Syria's membership was restored to the 22-member alliance.

Since the conflict in Syria began in March 2011 with pro-democracy protests and then spiraled into a brutal civil war, Iran and Russia have helped the Assad regime regain control of much of the country.

China has used its veto power at the United Nations eight times to block resolutions against the Assad regime, the most recent of which came in July 2020.

Chinese authorities also coordinate closely with Syrian security agencies regarding the presence of thousands of Chinese fighters stationed in Syria, mainly in the last rebel stronghold in the northwestern province of Idlib.

President Assad's last and only visit to China was in 2004, a year after the US launched an attack on neighboring Iraq, and at a time when Washington was putting pressure on Syria.

Mr Assad’s office said his wife, Asma, would also travel to China this week. Mr Assad has made several foreign trips in recent years, including visits to Russia, Iran, the UAE and Oman.

Hua Yu (Source: SCMP)

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