Chinese President Xi Jinping introduced a “strategic partnership” with Syria on Friday throughout talks with President Bashar al-Assad, who’s looking for monetary help to assist rebuild his devastated nation.

The leaders met on the eve of the Asian Games opening ceremony, which Assad will attend as a part of his first go to to China since 2004.

China is one among solely a handful of nations exterior the Middle East that Assad has visited for the reason that 2011 begin of a civil struggle that killed greater than half 1,000,000 folks, displaced hundreds of thousands and battered Syria’s infrastructure and business.

Assad is the most recent in a string of leaders ostracised by the West to be feted by Beijing, with Venezuelan chief Nicolas Maduro and Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi visiting this 12 months, in addition to prime Russian officers.

“Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad on Friday jointly announced the establishment of the China-Syria strategic partnership,” in line with Chinese state information company Xinhua.

The leaders have been every flanked by 9 aides at a big rectangular wood desk, a CCTV video confirmed, as two flags from every nation have been set in entrance of a Chinese portray within the assembly room.

Relations between the 2 international locations “have withstood the test of international changes”, Xi stated.

“China supports Syria in opposing foreign interference, opposing unilateral bullying, safeguarding national independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity,” the Chinese chief added.

Assad, in flip, stated he “thanked the Chinese government for everything you have done to stand alongside the Syrian people in their cause and their trials”, in line with a readout from Syrian state information company SANA.

“This visit is extremely important due to its timing and circumstances because a multipolar world is being formed today which will restore balance and stability to the world,” he stated.

“I hope that our meeting today will lay the foundations for broad-based and long-term strategic cooperation in all areas,” he added.

‘New level’

Beijing’s international ministry has stated Assad’s go to will serve to take ties to a “new level”.

Beijing has lengthy offered Damascus with diplomatic help, notably on the UN Security Council the place China is a everlasting member.

Analysts say that Assad’s go to represents an necessary step in direction of returning to the worldwide fold after years of US-led isolation of his regime.

Syria’s struggle started after Assad’s repression of peaceable pro-democracy protests escalated right into a lethal battle that pulled in international powers and jihadists.

Assad’s journey additionally comes as China expands its engagement within the Middle East.

This 12 months, Beijing brokered a deal that noticed longtime regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Damascus-backer Iran agree to revive ties and reopen their respective embassies.

The detente was adopted by Syria’s return to the Arab fold at a summit in Saudi Arabia in May, ending greater than a decade of regional isolation.