Syria’s Assad to Meet Xi on First China Visit in Nearly 20 Years
- Syrian delegation to include minister for economy and trade
- China is stepping up its diplomatic efforts in the Middle East
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Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet his Syrian counterpart Bashar Al-Assad on the sidelines of the Asian Games this week, as the Arab leader makes his first trip to China in nearly 20 years.
Xi will hold a welcome banquet for the event and conduct bilateral activities on Friday and Saturday, the Foreign Ministry in Beijing said. Assad arrived in the eastern tech hub of Hangzhou on Thursday and is expected to attend the opening ceremony of the games, which were postponed last year due to the Covid pandemic.