Enab Baladi, Christina al-Shammas
Following the political change in Syria and the fall of the former regime, China is emerging as one of the international actors seeking to reshape its relationship with the current Syrian government, in an attempt to preserve a legacy of strong diplomatic ties and economic interests that predate the shift in the Syrian political scene.
A month after the regime’s fall, Beijing took the initiative to open a new chapter with Syria by sending a delegation headed by China’s ambassador in Damascus, Shi Hongwei, who met Syria’s transitional president, Ahmad al-Sharaa.
The Syrian presidency did not disclose details of the meeting, held last February, or the topics discussed.
Ambassador Shi Hongwei’s visits to Damascus resumed in July, and on 10 August, he paid another visit during which he met Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani. The two sides discussed regional and international developments of common concern, in addition to bilateral relations and ways to enhance them in various fields.
These visits have revived the Syrian-Chinese relationship file, which remained present throughout the years of war through official visits and supportive positions in international forums, including the use of the veto at the UN Security Council in favor of the former regime. Today, however, this relationship is taking on a new dimension amid political change and the current Syrian government’s openness to new partners.
Uyghur file preoccupies Beijing
Mahmoud Allouch, a researcher in international relations, told Enab Baladi that China is seeking to build a new relationship with Syria, but that this relationship faces major challenges and obstacles, foremost among them the file of Uyghur fighters and Chinese concerns about the presence of groups in Syria that pose a threat to its national security.
Allouch explained that there is clearly a mutual desire between China and the new authorities in Syria to build a good relationship, but it is still in its early stages and may take time as the two parties renegotiate their terms.
Political analyst Nadir Elhalil believes Syrian-Chinese relations are going through a phase of renewal after years of China’s consistent support for the former Syrian regime during the years of the uprising. The recent meeting between Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani and Ambassador Shi Hongwei reflects Beijing’s continued approach of deepening partnership with Syria, but within a new framework shaped by recent political changes in Damascus.
China was one of the Assad regime’s most important allies, using the veto at the Security Council several times to shield the former regime from international sanctions and providing limited diplomatic and economic support compared with Russia’s military role. Today, with a new leadership in Syria, Beijing appears keen to reorder its cards while preserving its strategic interests, according to Elhalil.
Belt and Road, mutual interests
Several factors are pushing China to reinforce its ties with Syria at this stage, including economic interests and reconstruction, according to Elhalil. Syria is in urgent need of massive investment to rebuild its devastated infrastructure, while China has vast financial resources and technical capabilities in this field and wants to secure a share of reconstruction deals, especially in energy and infrastructure.
Elhalil pointed out that China also has geopolitical interests, as it seeks to strengthen its influence in the Middle East as part of its Belt and Road Initiative, and sees Syria as a strategic location that serves this project.
Beijing is also trying to secure a strategic foothold in a vital region where it competes with the United States and Russia, in an attempt to contribute to regional balancing. With Syrian-US relations partially restored, China wants guarantees that Syria will not fall entirely under Western influence.
This mirrors China’s broader stance toward the West. Beijing opposes external interference in states’ internal affairs and has its own domestic issues and files it does not want used against it, a position that aligns with the new authorities in Damascus and their discourse on asserting sovereignty and rejecting foreign interference.
On the other side, Elhalil spoke about Syria’s interests in reshaping its relationship with China, which include seeking financial and investment support for reconstruction, bolstering international legitimacy through alliance with a major power such as China, and diversifying its alliances to avoid total dependence on Russia or the West.
From the perspective of international relations researcher Mahmoud Allouch, relations with China matter to Syria on multiple levels, including China’s potential role in reconstruction and the importance of maintaining good ties with a permanent UN Security Council member that holds veto power, something highly significant for Syria.
What about the US position?
Attention is turning to Washington’s stance on the renewal of Syrian-Chinese relations, especially after the strong support the United States has provided to Syria since the fall of the former regime and the lifting of American sanctions.
Allouch believes the United States does not want China to have a strong presence in Syria, which will be one of the pressure points on the new authorities in Damascus as they shape their relationship with Beijing. However, Syria still has some room for maneuver to build a relationship that does not infringe on American interests in Syria and the wider region.
He noted that the United States imposes constraints on Syria’s relations, whether with China or even with Russia, because US policy toward the Middle East and Central Asia is designed in part to counter China’s Belt and Road project.
For his part, Nader Elhalil believes that the partial restoration of Syrian-US relations may create a subtle tension in Damascus’ alliances, but is unlikely to significantly undermine its partnership with China, because:
China is not competing militarily with the United States in Syria and is focused mainly on the economic track. Syria needs diversified alliances to avoid falling under the control of a single party. Beijing and Washington may reach a tacit division of roles in Syria, with the United States concentrating on security files, especially counterterrorism, while China focuses on economic issues.The Belt and Road Initiative is a Chinese project built on the legacy of the ancient Silk Road, aiming to link China with the world by investing billions of dollars in infrastructure along the “Silk Road” routes connecting it with Europe, making it the largest infrastructure project in human history.
There had been serious prior talks between the ousted president, Bashar al-Assad, and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, about Syria joining the Belt and Road Initiative.
Future of relations
On the future of Syrian-Chinese relations, Elhalil expects that, politically, China will continue to support Syria’s position in international forums, especially at the UN Security Council.
Relations could also see greater coordination on regional issues such as the Palestinian cause and positions on Israel, according to Elhalil.
On the economic level, he expects investment agreements to be signed in sectors such as energy, transport, and telecommunications, and that Syria may witness an increase in Chinese aid that is “unconditional compared with Western assistance, which is tied to political conditions”.
Beyond the Uyghur file, what does China want in Syria? Enab Baladi.
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