Syria and China seek to strengthen relations in the face of international isolation

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad received Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to seek to strengthen relations between the two friendly countries, hours after he was sworn in as Syria's fourth consecutive president.

Al-Assad discussed with Yi "the historic and distinguished relations" between the two countries and "agreed to move towards a new stage in strengthening these relations and opening wider horizons for bilateral cooperation", according to a statement from the Syrian presidency.

The Syrian president thanked China for "the support provided to the Syrian people in various fields and the important positions taken on the international stage to support Syria's sovereignty, the integrity of its territories and its independent decision," the statement said.

For his part, the Chinese minister expressed his continued support for "the Syrian people in their war against terrorism, the siege, the inhumane sanctions imposed". Yi expressed "his country's interest in Syria's participation" in projects linked to the New Silk Road, a strategic plan of Beijing, "given its location and its important role in the region" of the Middle East, according to the note.

Finally, Yi congratulated Assad on becoming president again and said that his success indicates "the victory of the people and their firm determination to resist all challenges and attempts to dominate them", according to the Syrian presidential statement.

No further details on the minister's agenda and possible economic agreements to be signed between the two countries have been released so far. China and Russia are two powers that are allies of Damascus and have always been against international sanctions against the government of Bashar al-Assad.

Syria is suffering one of its worst economic crises since 2011, aggravated by the bad situation in its neighbour, Lebanon, as well as by the sanctions against the Syrian government issued by the European Union and the latest one by the United States, the so-called Caesar Act.

According to UN data, 83% of Syrians live below the poverty line; more than 11 million out of a population of just over 17 million are in need of humanitarian aid; 60% cannot afford one meal a day; and 6.2 million are displaced within the country, an almost similar number of Syrian refugees in other countries.