(MENAFN) China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi welcomed Syrian top diplomat Asaad al-Shaibani in Beijing on Monday to deliberate on "common interests," according to an official announcement.

This visit marks al-Shaibani’s first trip to China since President Ahmad al-Sharaa established a new government in Syria this January, following the removal of the Bashar al-Assad administration last December.

Wang highlighted the longstanding friendship between China and Syria, noting that “The friendly exchanges between China and Syria have a long history, with the ancient Silk Road connecting the two peoples.”

He also emphasized that China “pursues a friendly policy towards all the Syrian people and respects the choices made by the Syrian people independently.”

Next year will commemorate 70 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. During the visit, Wang and al-Shaibani issued a joint statement affirming their shared goals and cooperation.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning reported that Wang described the partnership as encompassing “vast common interests.”

The Chinese minister added that China "will continue to uphold the principles of non-interference in internal affairs and turn the bilateral relations back on the right track."

Additionally, Wang stressed that "Syria should prevent any entities from using its territory to conduct activities that undermine China’s national security, sovereignty, and interests," reinforcing China’s concerns regarding security and mutual respect in their relations.

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