Syrian President Bashar al-Assad launched into his first official journey to China in practically twenty years on Thursday, with Beijing saying the go to will take ties to a “new stage” because the Arab chief seeks monetary assist to assist his devastated nation assist rebuild.
China is without doubt one of the few international locations exterior the Center East that Assad has visited for the reason that begin of a civil warfare in 2011 that has killed greater than half 1,000,000 folks, displaced thousands and thousands and hit Syria’s infrastructure and business.
Assad is the newest in a collection of leaders rejected by the West and celebrated by Beijing. This 12 months, Venezuelan chief Nicolas Maduro and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi visited, in addition to prime Russian officers.
He arrived within the jap metropolis of Hangzhou on Thursday, the place he’ll attend the opening ceremony of the Asian Video games on Saturday.
The Syrian president’s Air China aircraft was greeted on the tarmac by cheering music and contours of performers carrying colourful costumes, whereas Chinese language and Syrian flags flew within the air, footage from state broadcaster CCTV confirmed.
He and different international leaders will meet Xi in Hangzhou, CCTV stated.
In accordance with the Syrian presidency, Assad may also journey to Beijing.
The go to is his first to China since 2004.
China’s International Ministry stated the go to will serve to take ties to a “new stage.”
“China and Syria have a conventional and deep friendship,” International Ministry spokesman Mao Ning informed an everyday briefing.
“We imagine that President Bashar al-Assad’s go to will additional deepen mutual political belief and cooperation in varied fields between the 2 international locations,” she added.
Beijing has lengthy provided diplomatic assist to Damascus, particularly on the UN Safety Council, the place it’s a everlasting member.
“This go to represents an vital break in Syria’s diplomatic isolation and political siege,” Damascus-based political scientist Oussama Dannoura informed AFP.
“China has damaged Western taboos that search to forestall some states from doing enterprise with international locations that Washington considers remoted,” he added.
– Rising presence –
The go to comes as China expands its involvement within the Center East.
This 12 months, Beijing brokered a deal by which longtime regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Damascus-backed Iran agreed to revive ties and reopen their respective embassies.
The detente was adopted by Syria’s return to the Arab fold at a summit in Saudi Arabia in Could, ending greater than a decade of regional isolation.
The warfare in Syria started after Assad’s suppression of peaceable pro-democracy protests escalated right into a lethal battle that attracted international powers and jihadists.
The Assad regime has branded all opponents – from non-violent activists to armed rebels and jihadists – as “terrorists.”
“Assad needs his journey to China to convey a way of worldwide legitimacy for his regime and to painting the specter of Chinese language assist for Syria’s reconstruction,” stated Lina Khatib, director of the Center East Institute at SOAS College in London .
Khatib famous that the timing is vital, with Assad now going through protests calling for regime change in southern Syria.
“It’s unlikely that both (intent) will likely be convincing to an more and more restive inhabitants in Sweida,” Khatib added, referring to a Syrian metropolis the place protests are ongoing.
– Financial assist –
In current months, Beijing has rolled out the pink carpet for a collection of autocrats, from Belarusian chief Alexander Lukashenko to a delegation of officers from Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities.
And International Minister Wang is in Moscow this week, which is going through a collection of Western sanctions over the warfare in Ukraine.
After welcoming Xi to Moscow earlier this 12 months, Russian President Vladimir Putin is planning a go to to China in October, the Kremlin stated.
Analysts count on Assad’s go to to China will focus partially on reconstruction funds.
Syria joined China’s large commerce and infrastructure initiative in January 2022.
Haid Haid, a consulting fellow at London’s Chatham Home, wrote on social media that “the main target of this assembly is anticipated to revolve round persuading China to assist Syria’s financial restoration.”
China pledged $2 billion in investments in Syria in 2017, Haid famous — funds that “have but to materialize.”
For Syria, participation within the initiative “has not resulted in important Chinese language funding in Syria, both from the Chinese language authorities or from the non-public sector,” he stated.
