Syria Deputy Foreign Minister in China Visit
Syrian deputy foreign minister Faisal Muqdad begins a four-day visit to China on Monday, Beijing's foreign ministry said, after a handful of visits by high-level envoys in recent months.
Syria's opposition offered this week to hold talks with the Damascus government over the country's bloody conflict, now almost two years long.
China has backed Russia in supporting Syrian President Bashar Assad, vetoing U.N. Security Council resolutions that would have put greater pressure on his regime. Beijing has also repeatedly urged dialogue to end the violence.
"This visit is part of China's efforts to push for a political resolution of the Syria issue," foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a regular press briefing.
Muqdad will meet China's foreign minister Yang Jiechi and deputy minister Zhai Jun, she added.
China hosted the U.N.-Arab League peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi in October, a Syrian opposition leader in September and a Syrian presidential envoy the month before. It also held talks with Syria's foreign minister in April.
About 60,000 people have died in the conflict, according to U.N. estimates, while another 700,000 have been forced to flee.
Source: Agence France Presse
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