{"id":37463,"date":"2025-04-08T07:03:52","date_gmt":"2025-04-08T07:03:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/?p=37463"},"modified":"2025-04-08T07:03:52","modified_gmt":"2025-04-08T07:03:52","slug":"china-in-post-assad-syria-ally-investor-or-observer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/08\/04\/2025\/china-in-post-assad-syria-ally-investor-or-observer\/","title":{"rendered":"China in Post-Assad Syria: Ally, Investor or Observer?\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">China has long pursued a cautious, pragmatic foreign policy in the Middle East, particularly when it comes to Syria. Throughout the past 14 years, china has been an ally of ousted president Bashar al-Assad, offering political and economic support and aligning with Russia to veto multiple UN resolutions against his regime.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now, with Assad ousted and a new government in place, questions are rising over the future of Chinese-Syrian relations. Can Beijing recalibrate its approach and forge ties with the interim leadership in Damascus?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>First Official Meeting\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">More than two months after Assad&#8217;s fall, Ahmed al-Sharaa, the president of the interim government in Syria, held his first official meeting with the Chinese Ambassador Shi Hongwei and his delegation at the People&#8217;s Palace in Damascus.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite the symbolic weight of this meeting, neither side released details about what was discussed. The lack of transparency has left analysts uncertain about China\u2019s intentions and the extent of its willingness to engage with Syria\u2019s new leadership.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The meeting followed a pointed statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry\u2019s Spokesman Guo Jiakun, during a recent press conference, voiced Beijing\u2019s \u201cstrong reservations\u201d about international calls to lift sanctions on Syria. Jiakun urged the interim government to take concrete steps in addressing global concerns, particularly China\u2019s, on counterterrorism efforts.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>A \u201cWait-and-See\u201d Approach from Beijing\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Speaking to <\/span><b>+963<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, Professor Said al-Zaghby of Suez Canal University in Egypt said the new Syrian administration is eager to build strong ties with global powers, including China, as it looks to spur reconstruction efforts. However, he noted that Beijing appears to be adopting a cautious, wait-and-see approach.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cChina is waiting for a political solution and stable environment in Syria before it defines the nature of its relationship with the interim government or opens channels of reconstruction and investment,\u201d al-Zaghby explained. He added that the ongoing U.S. and Western sanctions may deter Chinese companies from entering the Syrian market in full force.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0According to al-Zaghby, if the new Syrian government embraces a pragmatic foreign policy, Syria is likely to maintain strong ties with Beijing, particularly given China\u2019s past support for Damascus at the UN Security Council. Nevertheless, if the government pivots toward the West, especially amid improving ties with Turkey, China\u2019s role could gradually diminish.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Terrorism and Uyghur File Remain Flashpoints\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">China has also remained vocal on one particularly sensitive issue: the presence of Uyghur fighters in Syria. The matter has long been a concern for Beijing, both during and after Assad\u2019s rule, particularly after some Uyghur militants reportedly secured leadership roles within Syria\u2019s Defense Ministry.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the day of Assad\u2019s ousting last December, fighters from the Turkistan Islamic Party (TIP) released a video claiming, \u201cWe fought in Homs and Idlib, and we will continue fighting in East Turkistan,\u201d referencing the term they use for Xinjiang, China\u2019s western province.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ibrahim al-Aseel, a researcher at the Middle East Institute in Washington, told <\/span><b>+963<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that China&#8217;s engagement with the new Syrian government hinges on several key factors: its counterterrorism cooperation, how it handles the Uyghur fighters file, the formation of an inclusive government,\u00a0 and an end of violations on the Syrian coast.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Al-Aseel emphasized that granting Syrian nationality and military ranks to Uyghur militants is deeply troubling for Beijing. \u201cThe Turkistan Islamic Party, formally founded in 2015, still dreams of seceding from China. That makes its presence in Syria a critical issue for Beijing,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">China researcher, Ali Mahmoud, noted in a statement to <\/span><b>+963<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that Damascus\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">would likely make efforts to avoid letting the TIP jeopardize future relations. \u201cChina will not allow its relationship with Syria to hinge solely on the presence of Uyghur fighters,\u201d Mahmoud said. \u201cAs long as the interim government addresses Beijing\u2019s concerns and prevents the group\u2019s influence from spilling beyond Syria\u2019s borders, cooperation can move forward\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>China Belt and Road Project<\/b><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Beijing is looking to deepen its ties with the new Syrian administration, driven in part by Syria\u2019s strategic location along the path of China\u2019s expansive Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Belt and Road Initiative is a massive Chinese infrastructure effort, often described as the largest in human history. It traces its conceptual roots to the Silk Road of the 19th century, aiming to connect China to the rest of the world through trade and transport networks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although Syria formally joined the initiative in 2022, it has yet to attract major Chinese investments. The reasons are multifaceted, with Western sanctions playing a primary role. Researcher Ibrahim al-Aseel noted that Syria\u2019s accession hasn\u2019t translated into tangible projects, as bilateral trade has dropped to just a quarter of what it was in 2011. He added that Syria continues to be an unattractive investment destination due to persistent instability and sanctions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to Professor Said al-Zaghby, two scenarios could shape the future relationship between Damascus and Beijing. In the first, China expands its investments inside Syria, becomes a key player in reconstruction, and provides limited financial support, focusing primarily on infrastructure projects tied to the Belt and Road.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The second scenario involves China maintaining a degree of distance, offering diplomatic support without deep economic engagement to avoid conflict with Western powers. \u201cThe relationship will remain strong politically,\u201d al-Zaghby said, \u201cbut it will not reach the level of strategic alliance as with Russia\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>American-Chinese Conflict<\/b><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Amid escalating tensions between Washington and Beijing, and with U.S. President Donald Trump once again threatening conflict, Syria\u2019s growing closeness to China could carry major geopolitical implications. While the new partnership may offer Damascus a much-needed economic boost, it could also lead to further pressure and sanctions from the United States.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cIf Trump escalates his threats and this turns into a trade war or limited military conflict with China, it could derail Chinese investment in Syria,\u201dal-Zaghby said.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWashington may respond economically or militarily to prevent Syria from becoming a base for Chinese influence in the region\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He added that future scenarios will depend largely on Damascus&#8217; ability to manage the East-West balance. Gulf states, especially the UAE and Saudi Arabia, are seeking to rebuild ties with Syria. However, China&#8217;s deeper involvement may make them more cautious, and wary of getting entangled in an American-Chinese confrontation, even though all three countries are both are BRICS members.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Al-Zaghby further noted that Washington is unlikely to tolerate any significant expansion of Chinese influence in the Middle East. \u201cThe issue isn\u2019t just what the U.S. wants,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s whether it has the capacity to contain China\u2019s presence in the region.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Analyst Ali Mahmoud raised a crucial question wondering whether the U.S. might consider backing the Turkistan Islamic Party as a counterweight to China, especially given that Trump removed the group from the U.S. terrorism list in 2020.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Observers say the new Syrian government is unlikely to reject closer ties with China, and vice versa, but the road ahead is complicated. Terrorism concerns, particularly related to Uyghur fighters in Syria, continue to be a critical obstacle. For relations to move forward, Damascus must address China\u2019s fear of cross-border threats that could eventually reach its own territory.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>China has long pursued a cautious, pragmatic foreign policy in the Middle East, particularly when it comes to Syria. Throughout the past 14 years, china has been an ally of ousted president Bashar al-Assad, offering political and economic support and aligning with Russia to veto multiple UN resolutions against his regime.\u00a0 Now, with Assad ousted [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":106,"featured_media":37464,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":{"format":"standard","override":[{"template":"1","single_blog_custom":"0","parallax":"1","fullscreen":"1","layout":"left-sidebar","sidebar":"default-sidebar","second_sidebar":"default-sidebar","sticky_sidebar":"1","share_position":"float","share_float_style":"share-normal","show_share_counter":"1","show_view_counter":"1","show_featured":"1","show_post_meta":"1","show_post_author":"1","show_post_author_image":"1","show_post_date":"1","post_date_format":"default","post_date_format_custom":"g:i a d\/m\/Y","post_reading_time_wpm":"300","post_calculate_word_method":"str_word_count","show_zoom_button":"1","zoom_button_out_step":"5","zoom_button_in_step":"4","show_post_tag":"1","number_popup_post":"1","show_post_related":"1"}],"image_override":[{"single_post_thumbnail_size":"crop-500","single_post_gallery_size":"crop-500"}],"trending_post_position":"meta","trending_post_label":"Trending","sponsored_post_label":"Sponsored by","disable_ad":"0","subtitle":"Syria Holds Strategic Value in China's Belt and Road Initiative"},"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_override_counter":{"view_counter_number":"0","share_counter_number":"0","like_counter_number":"0","dislike_counter_number":"0"},"jnews_post_split":{"post_split":[{"template":"1","tag":"h2","numbering":"asc","mode":"normal","first":"0","enable_toc":"0","toc_type":"normal"}]},"footnotes":""},"categories":[382,19],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[392],"class_list":["post-37463","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-opinions","category-slider"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.2 (Yoast SEO v28.0) - 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