China–Syria relations

{{See also|China–Arab States Cooperation Forum|China's Special Envoy on the Middle East Issue}}

Syria did not recognize the People's Republic of China when it was founded in 1949.{{cite journal|author=David Perez-Des Rosiers

|title=A Comparative Analysis of China's Relations with Lebanon and Syria|journal=Sociology of Islam|year=2019|volume=7|issue=2–3|pages=191–192

|doi=10.1163/22131418-00702006|s2cid=211308057 }} Following the Bandung Conference in 1955 their diplomatic relations improved which led to the sign of trade agreements. Next year Syria recognized China.{{Infobox bilateral relations|China–Ba'athist Syria|China|Ba'athist Syria|filetype=svg|mission1=Embassy of China in Damascus|mission2=Embassy of Syria in Beijing}}

In addition to more typical diplomatic ties, in the early stages of the Syrian civil war, China's Special Envoy on the Middle East Issue Wu Sike dealt with Syrian issues.{{sfn|Murphy|2022|p=108}} His successor Gong Xiaosheng continued to make Syrian diplomatic issues a priority until 2016, when China appointed a separate Special Envoy for the Syrian Crisis, Xie Xiaoyan.{{Cite news |date=29 March 2016|title=China appoints first special envoy for Syria crisis |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-china-idUSKCN0WV0RG |access-date=7 August 2022}}{{sfn|Murphy|2022|p=109}} On 2 September 2019, Zhai Jun was appointed as the Chinese Special Envoy to the Middle East Issue, succeeding Gong Xiaosheng.{{cite web|url=https://thediplomat.com/2019/12/can-chinas-new-idea-work-in-the-middle-east/|title=Can China's 'New Idea' Work in the Middle East?|first=Jin|last=Wang|newspaper=The Diplomat|date=5 December 2019|access-date=1 May 2023}}{{cite web|url=http://belfast.china-consulate.gov.cn/eng/wjbfyrth_3/201909/t20190902_3784495.htm|title=Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang's Regular Press Conference on September 2, 2019|newspaper=Consulate of the People's Republic of China in Belfast|access-date=1 May 2023}}

Syria participates in the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum (CASCF), which is the primary multilateral cooperation body between China and the Arab states.{{sfn|Murphy|2022|p=56–58}} Although the Arab states primarily coordinate in CASCF through the Arab League, Syria coordinated individually between 2011 and 2023 due to the suspension of its Arab League membership.{{sfn|Murphy|2022|p=58}} In 2023, Syria participated on CASCF summit in Chengdu as member of Arab League for the first time since 2011.{{Cite news|url=https://sana.sy/en/?p=309695|title=Syria participates in Arab-Chinese Cooperation Forum in Chengdu, China|date=29 May 2023|access-date=30 May 2023|publisher=SANA}}{{Cite news|url=https://alwatan.sy/archives/347609|title=بمشاركة سورية.. منتدى التعاون العربي – الصيني والحوار السياسي الإستراتيجي ينطلق غداً|publisher=Al Watan Newspaper|date=28 May 2023|access-date=30 May 2023}}

In 2004, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad visited China, the first visit by a Syrian head of state since the establishment of diplomatic relations.{{Cite news |last=Cash |first=Joe |date=21 September 2023 |title=Syria's Assad in China, seeks exit from diplomatic isolation |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/sports/syrias-assad-arrives-china-opening-event-asian-games-2023-09-21/ |access-date=22 September 2023}} President Assad made his second official visit to China between 21 and 26 September 2023, the first high-level encounter since the civil war. Assad alongside his wife Asma al-Assad attended the opening ceremony of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou. The next day he met CCP General Secretary Xi Jinping for in-depth talks, and also led a delegation of Syrian officials to discuss economic relations to rebuild war-torn Syria. Xi said relations between the two countries "have withstood the test of international changes" and China's foreign ministry remarked that Assad's visit will take bilateral relations to a "new level". On 22 September 2023, China and Syria jointly announced the establishment of a strategic partnership.{{Cite web |title=Xi Jinping Meets with President of Syria Bashar al-Assad_Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China |url=https://www.mfa.gov.cn/mfa_eng/xw/zyxw/202405/t20240530_11332273.html#:~:text=On%20the%20afternoon%20of%20September,of%20China-Syria%20strategic%20partnership. |access-date=22 February 2025 |website=www.mfa.gov.cn}}

After the fall of the Assad regime on 8 December 2024, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa met with China’s ambassador to Damascus Shi Hongwei on 22 February 2025. This marked the first official interaction between the two nations.{{Cite web |date=21 February 2025 |title=Syria's new president meets Chinese envoy for first time since Assad's fall |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syrias-new-president-meets-chinese-envoy-first-time-since-assads-fall-2025-02-21/ |access-date=21 February 2025 |publisher=Reuters}}

In 2009, mutual trade between the two countries was worth nearly $2.2 billion according to figures from the International Monetary Fund, and similar trade volumes were expected by the Syrian Ministry of Economy for 2010. The trade, however, is almost entirely one way. Exports from Syria to China made up less than 1 percent of the total trade volume at $5.6 million, while exports from China to Syria were worth $2.2 billion making China Syria's main importer.{{cite news|last=Kassab|first=Dana|title=Enter the Dragon|url=http://syria-today.com/st/index.php/december-2010/692-business-features/13124-enter-the-dragon|access-date=18 September 2011|newspaper=Syria Today|date=December 2010}}{{dead link|date=August 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite web|title=Syria: EU Bilateral Trade and Trade with the World|url=http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2006/september/tradoc_113451.pdf|publisher=European Commission|access-date=18 September 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170801235525/http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2006/september/tradoc_113451.pdf|archive-date=1 August 2017|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=The World Factbook|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/syria/|publisher=CIA|access-date=17 September 2011}} China is actively involved in Syria's oil industry. China National Petroleum Corporation is a joint venture partner with Syria's national oil company and Royal Dutch Shell in the Al-Furat Petroleum Company, the main oil producing consortium in the country.{{cite news|title=Factbox - Syria's energy sector|url=http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/world/10193295/factbox-syrias-energy-sector/|access-date=18 September 2011|newspaper=Reuters|date=5 September 2011}}{{Dead link|date=May 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} The Al-Furat consortium produces some 100,000 barrels per day (bpd).{{cite book|title=Syria, 2010.|year=2010|publisher=Oxford Business Group|location=London|isbn=978-1-907065-16-3|pages=103|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G851P_tsNtkC&q=sarkozy+totla}} Sinochem is another Chinese oil company that has been very active in recent oil exploration tenders. China's CNPC and Sinopec are helping to revive output under rehabilitation contracts for small mature oil fields in Syria.

In 1991 China sold a miniature neutron source reactor called SRR-1 to Syria.{{cite web |title=SRR-1 - Facilities - NTI |url=http://www.nti.org/facilities/464/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151020043837/http://www.nti.org/facilities/464/ |archive-date=20 October 2015 |access-date=17 April 2017 }} In 2015 Syria stated its willingness to send back the uranium to China in the aftermath of its disarmament of its chemical weapons.{{cite web |last=Slavin |first=Barbara |date=22 April 2015 |title=Syria agrees to return highly enriched uranium to China |url=http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2015/04/syria-give-up-highly-enriched-uranium.html |access-date=17 April 2017 |work=Al-Monitor}} 10 July 2018, CCP General Secretary Xi Jinping pledged to provide CN¥600 million ($91 million) in financial aid to Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen, as part of a model "oil and gas plus" to revive economic growth in the Middle East.{{Cite web |date=10 July 2018 |title=China's Xi pledges $20 billion in loans to revive Middle East |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-arabstates-idUSKBN1K0072 |access-date=10 March 2022 |publisher=Reuters}} By 2021, China's share of Syrian exports was minimal.{{cite web|title=Foreign trade partners of Syria|url=https://oec.world/en/visualize/tree_map/hs92/import/syr/show/all/2021/|publisher=The Observatory of Economic Complexity |access-date=19 July 2022}} In 2021, China was the second biggest import partner of Syria with a share of 11.1%.

After over a decade of civil war in Syria, the question of who will be in charge of the reconstruction has arisen over and over again (though any practical activity in that direction was suspended during the acute stage of the coronavirus crisis). China's position on this issue can be discerned by looking at its prewar relations with Syria and the way it has behaved during the war.{{Cite web|title=Will China Rebuild Syria?|url=https://besacenter.org/perspectives-papers/will-china-rebuild-syria/|last=Yellinek|first=Roie|date=1 April 2020|website=Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies|language=en-US|access-date=8 May 2020}}{{Cite web|title=Opinion – China and the Rebuilding of Syria|url=https://www.e-ir.info/2020/03/23/opinion-china-and-the-rebuilding-of-syria/|last=Yellinek|first=Roie|website=E-International Relations|date=23 March 2020|language=en-US|access-date=8 May 2020}} Following the Chinese-led normalisation of ties between Iran, Saudi Arabia and other Arab states of the Persian Gulf in March 2023, and the readmission of Syria to the Arab League, Syria is following the trend to end its isolation from other Middle Eastern and Asian countries and already joined China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in January 2022.Sharma V (4 February 2022). [https://diplomatist.com/2022/02/04/syria-joins-chinas-belt-and-road-initiative/ "Syria Joins China’s Belt and Road Initiative"] diplomatist.ch. Accessed 23 September 2023. After the comprehensive strategic partnership agreement, Sino-Syrian relations will primarily focus on economic cooperation to execute challenging infrastructure projects including electric power generation, gas sector, technology, trade, industries, housing and agriculture in various fields. China will also "support the government's economic, social and infrastructure reconstruction efforts".{{Cite news |date=22 September 2023 |title=China's Xi offers to help Assad rebuild Syria, regain regional status |work=Nikkei Asia |url=https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-relations/China-s-Xi-offers-to-help-Assad-rebuild-Syria-regain-regional-status |access-date=22 September 2023}}

Chinese Muslims fought against Japan in World War II. In order to gain backing for China in Muslim countries, Egypt, Syria, and Turkey was visited by Hui Muslim Ma Fuliang (馬賦良){{cite book |author=Hsiao-ting Lin |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=N8YtCgAAQBAJ&q=%E9%A6%AC%E8%B3%A6%E8%89%AF&pg=PA126 |title=Modern China's Ethnic Frontiers: A Journey to the West |date=13 September 2010 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-136-92393-7 |pages=126– |author1-link=Lin Hsiao-ting}} and Uyghur Muslim Isa Yusuf Alptekin in 1939.{{cite book |author=Hsiao-ting Lin |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rsLQdBUgyMUC&pg=PA90 |title=Modern China's Ethnic Frontiers: A Journey to the West |date=4 August 2010 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=978-0-203-84497-7 |pages=90–}} The Hindu leaders Tagore and Gandhi and Muslim Jinnah both discussed the war with the Chinese Muslim delegation under Ma Fuliang while in Turkey İsmet İnönü met with the Chinese Muslim delegation.{{cite web|url=http://www.huizu360.com/huizu/news_view.asp?tid=5&id=19276|title=回族知识条目-中国回族文献库|last=huizu360.com|access-date=17 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160919050140/http://www.huizu360.com/huizu/news_view.asp?tid=5&id=19276|archive-date=19 September 2016|url-status=dead}} Newspapers in China reported the visit.{{cite web|url=http://contentdm.lib.nccu.edu.tw/cdm/ref/collection/38clip/id/34722|title=歡迎艾沙馬賦良 暨近東各國新疆歸國學生 葉朱二氏昨舉行茶會 :: 民國38年前重要剪報資料庫|access-date=17 April 2017}} Ma Fuliang and Isa were working for Zhu Jiahua.{{cite web|url=http://www.qh.xinhuanet.com/2009-11/27/content_18352582.htm|title=国民党派系在青海的斗争|access-date=17 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160513035240/http://www.qh.xinhuanet.com/2009-11/27/content_18352582.htm|archive-date=13 May 2016|url-status=dead}}

The bombardment of Chinese Muslims by the warplanes of the Japanese was reported in the newspapers of Syria. Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon were all toured by the delegation. The Foreign Minister, Prime Minister, and President of Syria met with the Chinese Muslim delegation after they came via Egypt in May 1939. Gandhi and Jinnah met with the Hui Ma Fuliang and Uyghur Isa Alptekin as they denounced Japan.{{Cite web |url=http://www.xzbu.com/7/view-1606508.htm |title=西北回族在抗战中的贡献 |access-date=24 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170827124951/http://www.xzbu.com/7/view-1606508.htm |archive-date=27 August 2017 |url-status=dead }} Ma Fuliang, Isa Alptekin, Wang Zengshan, Xue Wenbo, and Lin Zhongming all went to Egypt to denounce Japan in front of the Arab and Islamic words.{{cite web|url=http://www.xzbu.com/4/view-3247116.htm|title=中国首批留埃学生林仲明_中国论文网|last=中国论文网|access-date=17 April 2017}}

In 1969, then chief of staff Mustafa Tlass led a military mission to Beijing, and secured weapons deals with the Chinese government.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OSYfAAAAMAAJ&q=mustafa+tlass+peking|title=The Middle East: a political and economic survey|author=Peter Mansfield, Royal Institute of International Affairs. Information Dept|year=1973|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=0-19-215933-X|page=480|access-date=28 June 2010}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=g926AAAAIAAJ&q=mustafa+tlass+peking|title=Revolutions and Military Rule in the Middle East: The Arab states pt. I: Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan, Volume 2|author=George Meri Haddad, Jūrj Marʻī Ḥaddād|year=1973|publisher=R. Speller|isbn=9780831500603|page=380|access-date=28 June 2010}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mrptAAAAMAAJ&q=peking|title=The Middle East and North Africa, Volume 43|author=Europa Publications Limited|year=1997|publisher=Europa Publications.|isbn=1-85743-030-1|page=905|access-date=28 June 2010}} In a move calculated to deliberately antagonize the Soviets to stay out of the succession dispute then going on in Syria, Mustafa Tlass allowed himself to be photographed waving Mao Zedong's Little Red Book, just two months after bloody clashes between Chinese and Soviet armies on the Ussuri river.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b7BtAAAAMAAJ&q=mustafa+tlass+red+book|title=The Soviet policy toward the Middle East since 1970|author=Robert Owen Freedman|year=1982|publisher=Praeger.|isbn=9780030613623|page=34|access-date=28 June 2010}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6zk7AAAAIAAJ&q=mustafa+talas+red+book&pg=PA40|title=Moscow and the Middle East: Soviet policy since the invasion of Afghanistan|author=Robert Owen Freedman|year=1991|publisher=CUP Archive|isbn=0-521-35976-7|page=40|access-date=28 June 2010}} The Soviet Union then agreed to back down and sell Syria weapons.

In May 1989, Libya has agreed to finance Syria's purchase of M-9 and M-11 missiles from China. In December 1989, it was reported that Syria and China have signed a contract for 140 M-9 and M-11 missiles to Syria for $170 million.[https://irp.fas.org/threat/missile/syria.htm#N_1_ FAS Syria] Missile sales to Syria were cancelled under U.S. pressure in 1991.2004. REPORT TO CONGRESS of the. U.S.-CHINA ECONOMIC AND. SECURITY REVIEW COMMISSION. p.145“Future of United States-China Policy”. 20 May 1993. Washington, D.C. p.162 In 1992 and 1996, China was reported to be assisting Syrian ballistic missile programs.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2jypQ7XYvTIC&q=china+syria+missile&pg=PA106|title=Containing Missile Proliferation: Strategic Technology, Security Regimes, and International Cooperation in Arms Control|author=Dinshaw Mistry|year=2005|publisher=University of Washington Press|isbn=0-295-98507-0|page=106|access-date=28 June 2010}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3j6sZyByv8EC&q=china+syria+missile&pg=PA262|title=Containing Iran's military forces in transition: conventional threats and weapons of mass destruction

|author=Anthony H. Cordesman|year=1999|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|isbn=0-275-96529-5|page=262|access-date=28 June 2010}}

On 19 October 1999, Defence Minister of China, General Chi Haotian, met with Syrian Defence Minister Mustafa Tlass in Damascus, Syria, to discuss expanding military ties between Syria and China.[http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/x238.html "China defense minister visits Israel".] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120530034200/http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/x238.html |date=30 May 2012 }} World Tribune. Thursday, 21 October 1999

In August 2016 Guan Youfei, Director of the Office for International Military Cooperation of China's Central Military Commission, stated that: "The Chinese and Syrian militaries traditionally have a friendly relationship, and the Chinese military is willing to keep strengthening exchanges and cooperation with the Syrian Armed Forces".{{Cite news |date=16 August 2016 |title=China says seeks closer military ties with Syria |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/mideast-crisis-syria-china-idINKCN10R11G |access-date=19 October 2023}}

By 2022, Chinese military advisors were reportedly in Syria to rebuild its military installations and to train their Syrian counterparts on a wide range of weapons purchased from China, including rocket launchers, machine guns and sniper rifles. It also included further cooperation between SSRC and China over Syria's ballistic missile program.{{Cite web|url=https://breakingdefense.com/2022/07/new-chinese-aid-for-syria-sets-off-alarms-in-israel/|title=New Chinese aid for Syria sets off alarms in Israel|access-date=10 August 2024|date=28 July 2022|publisher=Breaking Defense}}

Since his appointment to the newly created position in 2016, China's Special Envoy for the Syria Crisis Xie Xiaoyan has focused on diplomatic efforts including: achieving a cease fire, facilitating a political resolution to the conflict, humanitarian assistance, counterterrorism activities, reconstruction, and condemning chemical weapons use.{{sfn|Murphy|2022|p=116}} Xie emphasizes the need for a full investigation of alleged chemical weapons use by the Assad government.{{sfn|Murphy|2022|p=116}} Xie also states that the world must learn from the experiences of Iraq and Syria and avoid regime change via foreign intervention.{{sfn|Murphy|2022|p=116–117}} As its Special Envoy emphasizes, China's position is that a political solution must be reached that respects Syria's sovereignty and rights to noninterference and nonintervention, consistent with China's Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence.{{sfn|Murphy|2022|p=117–118}}

China also views counter-terrorism as a major concern to be addressed in the context of the Syrian crisis.{{sfn|Murphy|2022|p=118–119}} In China's view, some of the Syrian opposition groups (for example, the Turkistan Islamic Party, or TIP) are terrorists.{{sfn|Murphy|2022|p=118}} China attributes Xinjiang conflict from 2012 to 2015 as partially due to TIP, particularly via its ties to Uyghurs in Xinjiang.{{sfn|Murphy|2022|p=119}} China frames Russia's military intervention in Syria in terms of counter-terrorism operations.{{sfn|Murphy|2022|p=119}}

China has also cooperated with Syria on the issue of Uyghur militants joining the Syrian opposition in fighting Assad's government, with estimates of hundreds to several thousand Uyghur fighters in Syria and some working with Tahrir al-Sham.{{Cite web |last=Al-Ghadhawi |first=Abdullah |date=18 March 2020 |title=Uighur Jihadists in Syria |url=https://newlinesinstitute.org/nonstate-actors/uighur-jihadists-in-syria/ |access-date=10 December 2024 |website=New Lines Institute |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Duchatel |first=Mathieu |date=25 January 2019 |title=China's Foreign Fighters Problem |url=https://warontherocks.com/2019/01/chinas-foreign-fighters-problem/ |access-date=10 December 2024 |website=War on the Rocks |language=en-US}}{{cite web |last=Blanchard |first=Ben |date=20 August 2018 |title=China envoy says no accurate figure on Uighurs fighting in Syria |url=http://reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-china/china-envoy-says-no-accurate-figure-on-uighurs-fighting-in-syria-idUSKCN1L508G |accessdate=27 February 2021 |work=Reuters}}{{cite web |last=Shih |first=Gerry |date=23 December 2017 |title=AP Exclusive: Uighurs fighting in Syria take aim at China |url=https://apnews.com/article/79d6a427b26f4eeab226571956dd256e |accessdate=27 February 2021 |work=AP News}} China has also allegedly increased direct military links to Syria's government, although more discreetly than Russia has done.{{cite web |last1=Pauley |first1=Logan |last2=Marks |first2=Jesse |date=20 August 2018 |title=Is China Increasing Its Military Presence in Syria? |url=https://thediplomat.com/2018/08/is-china-increasing-its-military-presence-in-syria/ |accessdate=27 February 2021 |work=The Diplomat}} Although China claims it has no military presence in Syria, there were reports of military cooperation in 2016, 2017, and 2018.{{sfn|Murphy|2022|p=120}}

In its position as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China vetoed ten resolutions regarding Syria between 2010 and 2020, consistent with China's trend towards a more vocal position at the UN regarding matters of sovereignty.{{sfn|Murphy|2022|p=207}} Syria under Assad was one of 53 countries that backed the Hong Kong national security law at the United Nations in June 2020.{{cite web |last1=Lawler |first1=Dave |date=2 July 2020 |title=The 53 countries supporting China's crackdown on Hong Kong |url=https://www.axios.com/countries-supporting-china-hong-kong-law-0ec9bc6c-3aeb-4af0-8031-aa0f01a46a7c.html |access-date=3 July 2020 |website=Axios |language=en}} The Assad government supported the Chinese government's persecution of Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang.{{Cite web |last=Colville |first=Alex |date=3 October 2023 |title=China brings Syria back on to the world stage with a red carpet welcome |url=https://thechinaproject.com/2023/10/03/china-brings-syria-back-on-to-the-world-stage-with-a-red-carpet-welcome/ |access-date=8 December 2024 |website=The China Project |language=en-US}}

• Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to Syria
• Foreign relations of the People's Republic of China
• Foreign relations of Syria
• Russia–Syria relations
• Daqin

{{notelist}}

{{reflist}}

• {{Cite book |last=Murphy |first=Dawn C.|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1249712936 |title=China's rise in the Global South : the Middle East, Africa, and Beijing's alternative world order |date=2022 |isbn=978-1-5036-3060-4 |location=Stanford, California |oclc=1249712936}}

• [http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/wjb/zzjg/xybfs/gjlb/2888/ Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the relations with Syria]

{{Foreign relations of China}}

{{Foreign relations of Syria}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:China-Syria relations}}

Category:Bilateral relations of Syria

Syria