The Syrian President arrives in China for his first visit in two decades

The Syrian President Bashar al Assad arrives in China on Thursday in his first official visit in nearly two decades to the allied country, and at a time when he is struggling to obtain support for the reconstruction of his war-ravaged country.

China is the third non-Arab country that Assad has visited during the years of ongoing conflict in his country since 2011, after Russia and Iran, Damascus’s most prominent allies, which provide it with economic and military support that has changed the balance of the war in its favor.

This visit falls within the framework of Assad’s gradual return to the international arena over a year ago after the isolation imposed on him by the West, especially due to the protest movement in his country that developed into a conflict.

Assad is accompanied by his wife, Asma, and a political and economic delegation.

The visit includes meetings and events in the cities of Hangzhou and Beijing.

The Syrian president will attend the opening ceremony of the Asian Games in Hangzhou on the 23rd of this month.

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs didn’t comment on the content of the visit.

This is the first visit by a Syrian president to China since 2004, while Chinese officials visited Damascus during the bloody conflict.

China supported Damascus in international forums and the UN Security Council, repeatedly abstaining from voting for resolutions condemning it during the conflict, and used its Veto alongside Russia to stop these resolutions.