Chinese envoy urges foreign forces to end illegal military presence in Syria

A Chinese envoy on Wednesday urged Israel to cease its attacks on Syria and foreign forces to end their illegal military presence in Syria.

In remarks at the UN Security Council briefing on Syria, Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, stressed the importance of upholding Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

He called on the parties concerned to exercise maximum restraint and make concrete efforts to maintain the stability of regional countries, including Syria, and urged Israel to cease its attacks on Syria and foreign forces to end their illegal military presence in Syria.

The ambassador also called on major powers outside the region to play a constructive role in easing the situation in the region.

Geng noted that China supports UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen's efforts to continue to work with all parties in line with the Syrian-led and Syrian-owned principle, and looks forward to the collaboration of the existing dialogue mechanisms, which, based on communication and consultations with the Syrian government, will give impetus to a political solution.

Underscoring that a stable political process cannot be achieved without a favorable security environment, he said China supports the Syrian government's intensified counter-terrorism efforts and calls on the international community to join forces in line with international law and Security Council resolutions to combat terrorist forces within Syria "with zero tolerance."

On the humanitarian situation in Syria, the ambassador noted that thanks to the joint efforts of the Syrian government and the United Nations, the cross-border relief mechanism has been in stable operation. He urged the parties concerned to demonstrate flexibility and make efforts to resume cross-line relief operations.

Geng called on donors to follow through on their aid commitments and to guarantee that humanitarian projects throughout Syria are adequately funded, and emphasized that unilateral sanctions and illegal plundering, which seriously weaken Syria's ability to recover economically and develop socially, "must be stopped immediately."