(MENAFN) Syria’s foreign minister announced Saturday that he will make his first official visit to China in early November, responding to an invitation from Beijing, according to reports.

“We have redefined our relationship with China, which had politically supported the former regime of Bashar al-Assad and used its veto power on his behalf,” the minister said in an interview with state media. “In early November, there will be the first official visit to China, based on an invitation from Beijing,” he added.

He emphasized that Syria now seeks China’s support for reconstruction efforts, noting that the development signifies a shift in bilateral ties. Previously, Beijing had backed the former regime and elevated relations to a “strategic partnership” during Bashar al-Assad’s visit in September 2023.

Addressing Syria’s relationship with Russia, the minister said, “Our engagement with Russia has been gradual. No new agreements have been signed, and the agreements concluded between Russia and the former regime remain suspended—we do not accept them.”

On ties with Lebanon, he remarked, “There is a legacy we are not part of and for which we bear no responsibility,” adding that the issue of Syrian refugees in Lebanon has exerted pressure on both governments.

Regarding Syria’s broader foreign policy, the minister stated, “We have launched an external policy free of polarization, without aligning Syria to any bloc or placing it in a state of hostility with any country.”

MENAFN19102025000045017281ID1110216850