The international community should provide humanitarian aid without political strings attached to Syria to help it recover and rebuild, said Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday.

Wang made the remarks during a virtual meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad.

The political settlement of the Syrian issue should be guided by the "Syrian-led, Syrian-owned" principle and let the Syrian people independently determine the future and destiny of their country, he said.

China firmly supports the people in the Middle East in independently exploring the path of development, he added.

He stressed that the U.S. and other Western countries should not interfere in the affairs of the Middle East and try to remake the region with their own standards, highlighting the importance of respecting the sovereignty of countries in the region and doing things conducive to regional peace and development.

Noting that the question of Palestine always lies at the heart of the Middle East issue, he said that it should not be forgotten, let alone sidelined.

Mekdad said that Syria firmly supports China in safeguarding sovereignty and territorial integrity and opposes external interference in China's internal affairs.

Facts will eventually scotch the rumors spread by the U.S. concerning Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Tibet, he added.

Speaking highly of the Global Development Initiative and Global Security Initiative put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping, he said that his country firmly supports the initiatives and is willing to participate actively.

Syria is ready to strengthen coordination with China and firmly supports multilateralism, he added.

(Cover: A virtual meeting between Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (L) and Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad, July 15, 2022. /China's Foreign Ministry)