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China says to help with reconstruction of Syria

Friday, 24 November 2017 11:08 AM [ Last Update: Friday, 24 November 2017 11:45 AM ]

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) speaks to Syrian government special envoy Bouthaina Shaaban during a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing, October 12, 2015. (Photo by Reuters)

China says it will help with reconstruction efforts in Syria, which has seen massive destruction as a result of over six and a half years of armed conflict.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told a visiting senior aide to Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad on Friday that dialog was important in resolving the conflict and that the world must support the reconstruction of the Arab country.

“The international community should emphasize and actively support Syria’s reconstruction. China will put forth its own effort for this,” Wang told Bouthaina Shaaban, according to a statement by China’s Foreign Ministry.

According to the statement, Shaaban welcomed China playing a greater role in the political process to resolve the Syrian conflict.

Two parallel peace processes have been going on for Syria, one in the Kazakh capital of Astana and the other in the Swiss city of Geneva. The Astana peace process has been launched by Iran, Russia, and Turkey, and the Geneva talks are held on the auspices of the United Nations (UN).

On Wednesday, the presidents of Iran, Russia, and Turkey invited all countries to contribute to peace in the Middle East region, including in Syria, and help with the reconstruction of Syria and the return of Syrian refugees to their homes.