Yesterday, Syria expressed its appreciation for China’s policy in the Middle East, noting that Beijing maintains equal dealings with countries in the region. Syrian Minister of Information Mohammed Salman conveyed this satisfaction during a press conference held to mark the ongoing visit of Chinese Prime Minister Li Peng to Syria.
Following their initial meeting two days ago on Friday, the Chinese Prime Minister had another meeting yesterday with Syrian President Hafez Al-Assad. Syrian presidential spokesperson Gebran Koreya stated that the two leaders extensively discussed international developments and the Middle East situation. It should be noted that the discussions did not touch upon military cooperation between the two countries, as mentioned by one of the Chinese officials accompanying Ping.
An official source in the Syrian capital revealed that Ping, who has been visiting Damascus since last Thursday, concluded his talks with Syrian officials by meeting with Syrian Vice President Abdel Halim Khaddam. Foreign Ministers Farouq Al-Shara and the accompanying Chinese delegation were also present. It is noteworthy that Li Peng’s visit to Syria marks the first time a Chinese prime minister has visited the country since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two nations in 1956.
