• This is 1st trip to China by Asaad al-Shaibani since government formation in January by President Ahmad al-Sharaa

ISTANBUL 

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi hosted Syria’s top diplomat Asaad al-Shaibani in Beijing on Monday to discuss "common interests," an official statement said.

This is the first trip to China by Shaibani since President Ahmad al-Sharaa formed a government in Syria in January, following the ouster of the Bashar al-Assad regime last December.

“The friendly exchanges between China and Syria have a long history, with the ancient Silk Road connecting the two peoples,” Wang told the Syrian foreign minister.

He said China “pursues a friendly policy towards all the Syrian people and respects the choices made by the Syrian people independently.”

The two nations mark 70 years of diplomatic ties next year.

Wang and Shaibani also released a joint statement.

According to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning, Wang told the visiting Syrian foreign minister that the two nations have “vast common interests.”

China "will continue to uphold the principles of non-interference in internal affairs and turn the bilateral relations back on the right track," Wang said.

"Syria should prevent any entities from using its territory to conduct activities that undermine China’s national security, sovereignty, and interests," said the Chinese foreign minister.

Wang said the two sides should "gradually resume exchanges at all levels and in all fields."

"China is willing to actively consider participating in Syria's economic reconstruction and contribute to Syria's social development and improvement of people's livelihoods," said Wang.

Shaibani, for his part, considered his visit “an important step in advancing the course of partnership between our two countries.”

The top diplomat said on the US social media company X that his discussions with his Chinese counterpart were “constructive and opened broad horizons to support reconstruction efforts in Syria.”

He expressed Damascus’s appreciation for China’s “firm position” in supporting Syria’s unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.

“This position is further strengthened within the framework of a new stage of Syrian-Chinese cooperation, based on mutual respect and joint action,” Shaibani said.

His visit to Beijing comes as part of the new Syrian administration’s effort to expand cooperation with regional and international partners in various fields and lift economic and political sanctions amid efforts to rebuild the war-torn nation after some 13 years of civil war.