Al-Shaibani Announces His Intent to Visit China in Early November on Official Invitation

SadaNews - Syrian Foreign Minister As'ad Al-Shaibani announced his intention to make his first official visit to China in early November at the invitation of Beijing, while reviewing the new diplomatic vision for returning Syria to the international arena.

Al-Shaibani stated in an interview with the official Syrian news channel that relations with China "are back on the right track after years of Beijing aligning with the previous regime."

He pointed out that the upcoming visit to Beijing comes to "discuss areas of economic cooperation and China's contribution to the reconstruction of Syria."

He added that Damascus "needs genuine strategic partnerships - especially with China - during the phase of building and reconstruction."

China had elevated its relationship with the previous regime to a "strategic partnership" during the visit of ousted President Bashar Al-Assad to Beijing in 2023.

Old Moscow Agreements Hanging

In the Russian file, Al-Shaibani clarified that Moscow "was a partner to the previous regime and participated in the tragedy of the Syrians before the Battle of Deterrence of Aggression (the battle to overthrow the ousted Bashar Al-Assad regime)."

Al-Shaibani confirmed that the current government "has dealt with Moscow gradually to neutralize it from supporting the fallen regime and has not signed any new agreements, while previous agreements remain hanging and are not recognized by the current government."

His remarks came after Syrian President Ahmad Al-Shara's visit to Moscow, which was the first since he took office in late December 2024 after the fall of the previous regime.

Rebuilding Trust with Lebanon

In this context, the Syrian minister affirmed his government's endeavor to correct relations with Lebanon, stating that "the previous regime conveyed a negative image of Lebanon and its people that does not reflect Syrian civilization."

Al-Shaibani emphasized that his country "seeks to ensure a dignified return for Syrian refugees in Lebanon."

He pointed out that the file of Syrian detainees was "among the priorities of the recent visit to Beirut," confirming the transition beyond the decision stage to implementing practical measures to address this file.

Last Friday, the Syrian Foreign Minister conducted the first visit to Lebanon by a minister in the government of President Al-Shara following the fall of Assad's regime.

New Syrian Diplomacy

Al-Shaibani clarified that the new Syrian diplomacy "adopts a foreign policy that is away from polarization," aiming to "redefine Syria's position as a country seeking stability and international cooperation."

He added that his country's participation in the United Nations General Assembly meetings was "a necessary step expressing the Syrian people for the first time after years of war."

The Syrian minister confirmed that the government was able to convey a message that "the Syrian people want to rebuild their country and that Syria should be a shining model."

Al-Shaibani praised President Al-Shara's speech, which "summarized the Syrian narrative and carried a message of hope to the international community."

The Internal File

Internally, Al-Shaibani thanked the Syrian people for their "trust in the new government," pledging to "improve living conditions and attract foreign investments to support the national economy."

He promised that "the living situation will improve significantly, and Syrians will see this improvement."

"SDF" Agreement and Security Challenges

Regarding the issue of the "Syrian Democratic Forces" (SDF), the minister stated that the government "succeeded in convincing international parties of the importance of the March 10 agreement, as their exclusion from state institutions deepens the rift between them and the state."

He confirmed that "any disruption of the agreement obstructs the interests of civilians and the return of displaced persons."

He added that the region has a "historic opportunity to be an active part of the new Syria, provided that the implementation of the partnership with the state is expedited."

On March 10, the Syrian President Al-Shara and the leader of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Ferhad Abdi Shahin, signed an agreement to merge civil and military institutions in northeastern Syria within the framework of state administration.

The agreement included border crossings, airports, and oil and gas fields, emphasizing the unity of Syrian territory and rejecting any division projects, but the SDF has violated this agreement several times.

Israeli Aggressions

Regarding repeated Israeli aggressions, Al-Shaibani explained that "Tel Aviv seeks to exploit the political transformation in Syria to impose a new expansionist project," confirming that "Damascus rejects any form of division or federalism."

Immediately after the ousting of Bashar Al-Assad's regime, the Israeli army established a security strip 15 kilometers wide inside Syrian territory, comprising over 40,000 Syrian civilians, and continued to carry out airstrikes inside Syria, resulting in civilian casualties and the destruction of military locations and equipment as well as weapons and ammunition belonging to the army, expanding its occupation of Syrian territory.

Source: Syrian Press