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Chinese FM meets Syrian counterpart in Beijing, raising ETIM issue during talks

Global Times

By Fan Anqi Published: Nov 17, 2025 09:41 PM

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with visiting Syrian foreign affairs chief Asaad Hassan al-Shibani in Beijing on Monday, who is on his first trip to China since the interim government was formed in January by Syrian interim leader Ahmad al-Sharaa.

During the talks, Wang said China respects the independent choices made by the Syrian people, and stands ready to actively consider participating in Syria's economic reconstruction. He also raised the issue of the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), calling on the Syrian side to take effective measures and remove security obstacles to the steady development of China-Syria relations, per a readout released by the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Wang told his Syrian counterpart that Syria is one of the earliest Arab countries to establish diplomatic relations with China. Both China and Syria are developing countries with extensive common interests. He noted that China always firmly stands with developing countries, especially small and medium-sized ones, and resolutely safeguards the legitimate rights and interests of the Global South.

Wang emphasized that China pursues a friendly policy toward all the Syrian people and respects the independent choices made by the Syrian people. The two sides should adhere to mutual respect for each other's core interests and non-interference in each other's internal affairs, and bring bilateral relations back to the normal track.

During the talks, the Chinese top diplomat stressed the issue of ETIM, which has been designated an international terrorist organization by the UN Security Council. Wang appreciated Syria's commitment not to allow any entity to use Syrian territory to undermine China's interests, and hopes the Syrian side will take effective measures to implement it, removing security obstacles to the steady development of China-Syria relations.

Next year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Syria, Wang noted. The two sides should gradually resume exchanges at all levels and in various fields, and China "stands ready to actively consider participating in Syria's economic reconstruction and contribute to Syria's social development and the improvement of its people's livelihood," Wang said.

For his part, al-Shibani said the Syrian side holds profound respect for China, attaches great importance to its relations with China, and thanks China for supporting Syria in safeguarding sovereignty and providing assistance over the long term.

The Syrian side firmly adheres to the one-China principle, opposes any force that undermines this principle, and resolutely supports China in safeguarding its core interests.

Al-Shibani noted that he values China's security concerns, and will not allow any entity to use Syrian territory to engage in activities that harm China's national security, sovereignty, or interests.

The two sides issued a joint statement on Monday after the meeting, in which both sides stressed the need to combat all forms of terrorism and agreed to step up coordination and cooperation in counter-terrorism and security fields. China and Syria also recognized the importance of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum in promoting collective China-Arab cooperation and agreed to continue working together under this key mechanism, the statement read.

Al-Shibani began his first official visit to China on Sunday, which is also the first visit by a government official from Ahmed al-Sharaa's administration, per media reports.

Al-Shibani announced the trip last month, saying relations were "back on the right track" and that Syria "needs genuine strategic partnerships, especially with China, during the phase of building and reconstruction," The New Arab reported on Monday.

A Chinese expert believes the purpose of the Syrian foreign minister's visit is three-fold: first, it hopes to secure China's support for the new administration, especially given that China has veto power in the UN Security Council and is a key player in helping the new Syrian government reintegrate into the international community; second, in the security domain, China's diplomatic recognition carries significant weight for the overall security and stability of the administration itself, Zhu Yongbiao, the executive director of the Research Center for the Belt and Road at Lanzhou University, told the Global Times on Monday.

On the economic front, Zhu said, given that China has strong infrastructure capabilities and a complete industrial chain as well as relatively rich experience in assisting reconstruction in other post-war regions, Syria believes China can play an important role in its national reconstruction efforts.

The meeting between the Chinese and Syrian foreign ministers allowed the two sides to discuss China's core concern - the ETIM issue, the expert said.

"If ETIM is allowed to maintain a long-term presence in Syria or even packaged as part of a so-called 'legitimate government', it will pose a major challenge to the global counter-terrorism consensus," Zhu warned.

"At the regional level, it will trigger a series of chain reactions and demonstration effects: once ETIM is 'whitewashed,' other terrorist organizations are very likely to follow suit," Zhu added.

The expert pointed out that Syria has a particularly sensitive geopolitical position and complex religious and ethnic relations. As a result, the country is essentially a precedent and a test case for global counter-terrorism. If not handled carefully, it could cause major, even global rather than merely regional, damage to counter-terrorism efforts.

In October, China's permanent representative to the UN Fu Cong called on the Syrian transitional government to honor its commitments to fighting terrorism, noting that the prolonged turmoil in Syria has provided space for the proliferation of terrorism, according to Xinhua News Agency.

Foreign terrorist fighters have exploited the chaos in Syria to gain strength, which not only poses a direct threat to Syria's own security but also severely undermines regional peace and stability, Fu said.