Chinese Vice President Hu Jintao arrived in Damascus yesterday to begin a four-day visit to Syria. During his visit, he will engage in talks with Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad regarding peace in the Middle East and bilateral relations. Upon his arrival at Damascus airport, Vice President Abdel Halim Khaddam received the Chinese official, as reported by a photographer to AFP. In a statement distributed to journalists upon his arrival, the Chinese official emphasized that “China and Syria are facing the same challenges in the new millennium.” He further expressed the need for the two countries to expand cooperation, exchange views on bilateral relations, and discuss regional and international issues. Hu praised the long-standing friendship between China and Syria, which dates back to 1956. As part of his visit, the Chinese official is scheduled to visit the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus and the city of Palmyra in central Syria, according to a Chinese diplomatic source. Trade exchanges between the two countries currently favor China, with Syrian imports from China reaching approximately $200 million, primarily consisting of electronic machines. The relations between China and Syria are strong, and Beijing supports Syria’s demand for Israel’s withdrawal from the Golan Heights, which were occupied in 1967. Prior to his visit to Syria, the Chinese official had already visited Iran, and he is scheduled to visit Jordan, Cyprus, and Uganda in the coming days.
