Syria joined China's Belt and Road Initiative

On Wednesday Syria joined the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative, which will help it open up broad perspectives for cooperation with China and other countries.

The ceremony was held at the Planning and International Cooperation Commission in Damascus. It was attended by the head of the department, Fadi Khalil, and the Chinese Ambassador to Syria, Feng Biao. The parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Syria's joining the Belt and Road Initiative.

F. Khalil said that Syria's participation in the initiative revived the country's role on the ancient Silk Road and would help in enhancing interaction with China and multilateral cooperation with other countries. He recalled that Syria once was one of the major countries on the ancient Silk Road, the important links of which were the cities of Aleppo and Palmyra. Signing of the memorandum of Syria's joining the initiative reflects the ancient and long history of friendship and cooperation with China, the official added.

Feng Biao said that the interaction between the two countries contributed the most to the economic recovery and social development of Syria, and also contributes to the integration of the Chinese initiative with the Syrian strategy of moving eastwards. The Belt and Road Initiative is in line with the world's strong desire for broad economic involvement, the Chinese diplomat emphasized, adding that it has already become the world's broadest platform for international cooperation.

The Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China in 2013 includes the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. It aims at creating a trade, investment and infrastructure network connecting Asia with other parts of the world along the ancient trade routes of the Silk Road and beyond.

Source: russian.news.cn
Image source: regionmonitor.com