The Chinese Embassy in Damascus on Sunday held a reception ceremony on the occasion of the 68th anniversary of establishing the People’s Republic of China at the Damascus-based Dama Rose Hotel.

In a speech during the ceremony, Chinese Ambassador in Damascus Qi Qianjin said that the Syrian-Chinese relations have witnessed a significant development, particularly during the current year along with a notable improvement in the mutual cooperation between the two countries.

Ambassador Qianjin indicated that the government of his country pays a great attention to strengthening relations of friendship and cooperation with Syria and it highly appreciates the strategic initiative proposed by President Bashar al-Assad on the openness towards the East which comes in line with the Chinese “Belt and Road” Initiative proposed by the Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013.

He expressed his country’s desire to further deepen the communication and cooperation between the two countries in the framework of the two initiatives and to establish peace and open wider prospects of bilateral cooperation relations.

For his part, Assistant Foreign and Expatriates Minister Ayman Sousan shed light on the deeply-rooted and historic relations of friendship binding the Syrian and Chinese peoples, indicating that these relations are “built on mutual respect and supporting the just causes of the nations and establishing a just world that respects the sovereignty of the states and where all enjoy security and prosperity.”

Sousan added that China’s presence on the international arena has become a pressing need to establish a new world system and to put an end to the approach of hegemony and the arrogance of the colonial powers which are considered the basis of the tensions witnessed by the world nowadays.

He highly appreciated china’s stances and support for Syria in the face of the Takfiri terrorist aggression.

“ The stances of China constitute a solid basis for developing the economic, trade and cultural cooperation between the two countries to reach a true partnership which is up to the level of the standing political relations,” Sousan said.

“We in Syria welcome and look forwards towards an active contribution of China in the reconstruction of what has been destroyed by terrorism in a way that meets the interests of the two friendly countries based on approaches by the Syrian Government on giving a priority with regard to the projects of reconstruction for the countries which have supported Syria in the face of terrorism,” Sousan added.

In a statement to journalists, Presidential Political and Media Advisor Dr. Bouthaina Shaaban referred to the convergence between the initiative of the Chinese President and the initiative proposed by President al-Assad which talks about the necessity of the openness towards the East and building outstanding relations with the East, in addition to giving priority in the reconstruction process for the countries which have supported Syria.

Shaaban expected that the Syrian-Chinese relations will be further strengthened in the future in a way that serves the interests of the two countries’ peoples.

She also hailed the great stances of the Chinese people and Government towards Syria and combating terrorism as China and Russia have been the first countries which used the veto in 2011 against the Western hegemony and today they are heralding the end of that hegemony and they form a polar that believes in justice, sovereignty and the equal and just international relations.