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China To Strengthen Belt And Road Initiative Cooperation With Syria

MIDEAST

MNI London: Wires carrying comments from Chinese state media following the conclusion of a meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Hangzhou, China.

  • According to state media, Xi told Assad China will, "strengthen Belt and Road Initiative [BRI] cooperation with Syria," with the countries signing, a "bilateral cooperation document..."
  • Xi told Assad, China is, "willing to continue mutual support for issues related to each other's core interests and major concerns," and, "supports Syria in improving relations with other Arabic nations."
  • The meeting comes amid a major geopolitical recalibration in the Middle East. Bloomberg reported yesterday that the White House is edging closerto landmark deal to normalise relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia and fortify US influence in the region.
  • Renewed US engagement also includes commitment to a neweconomic corridor connecting India to Europe via the Middle East designed to offer an alternative to China's BRI and offset fallout from a BRICS decision to offer membership to Saudi Arabia, Iran, Egypt, and the UAE, viewed by Washington as an expansion of Chinese influence in the region.

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