ISTANBUL

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday said Beijing calls for a “Syrian-led, Syrian-owned” political process in the war-torn Middle Eastern nation.

Beijing has been “closely following the recent development of the situation in Syria,” Wang said after meeting his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty in the Chinese capital.

The statement by China’s foreign minister came after Bashar Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia after anti-regime groups took control of the capital Damascus last Sunday, ending the rule of the Baath Party, which had been in power since 1963.

“We support the early realization of peace within Syria, the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2254, and promoting domestic political process under the ‘Syrian-led, Syrian-owned’ principle,” said Wang.

Beijing supports the process “through inclusive dialogue, to find a nation-rebuilding plan that aligns with the will of the people,” the Chinese minister added.