China’s Xi Jinping meets Syria’s Bashar al Assad and announces strategic partnership
Syrian President Bashar al Assad has met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in China for “in-depth talks”, according to Chinese state media.
It is Mr Assad‘s first visit to the country in almost 20 years, and since the start of Syria’s 12-year civil conflict – one in which Beijing has been one of his main backers.
The pair met on the sidelines of the Asian Games on Friday.
The two leaders holding talks in Hangzhou. Pic: SANA/Handout via Reuters
China and Syria will establish a strategic partnership, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported, with President Xi describing the move as an important milestone in the history of both countries.
“In the face of an unstable and uncertain international environment, China is willing to continue to work with Syria in the interests of friendly cooperation and safeguarding international fairness and justice,” Mr Xi said, according to Chinese state media.
President Xi will be hosting a banquet later and conducting bilateral activities with Mr Assad and other heads of state and government attending the games.
Mr Assad arrived in China on Thursday ahead of the opening ceremony of the international sports event, which begins on Saturday in the eastern city of Hangzhou, where he will be joined by other foreign leaders.
President Assad was given the red carpet treatment. Pic: Syrian Presidency/via Reuters
Speaking ahead of the face-to-face talks, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Mr Assad’s visit would “further deepen political mutual trust and cooperation in various fields between the two countries and push bilateral relations to a new level”.
She added the two leaders would be holding “in depth talks” on a range of issues.
Mr Assad’s office had previously said he was invited by President Xi and would bring with him a high-ranking Syrian delegation.
China has been expanding its reach in the Middle East after mediating a deal in March between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
Meanwhile, diplomatic relations between Damascus and other Arab countries have intensified since the February earthquake that hit Syria and Turkey.
In March, Mr Assad was in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for an official visit during which President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan said the two “held constructive talks aimed at developing relations between our two countries”.
And in May, Mr Assad attended the annual summit of the Arab League in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for the first time in 12 years after Syria’s membership was reinstated in the 22-member organisation.
Mr Assad was suspended by the alliance after his crackdown on pro-democracy protests led to the breakout of civil war in 2011.
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More than 500,000 people have died since then and more than half of the country’s 22 million pre-war population have had to flee their homes.
Syria’s currency is collapsing and the country is suffering from a lack of electricity, medicine and daily essentials, despite support from Russia and Iran.
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The Syrian leader is in China to advance efforts to bring to an end more than a decade of diplomatic isolation under Western sanctions and to boost commercial ties with the world’s second-largest economy, as Syria desperately needs foreign investment.
His last visit to China was in 2004, a year after the US-led invasion of neighbouring Iraq.
World
Israel confirms Hamas chief Mohammad Sinwar was killed – as group makes counter-offer on ceasefire
Israel has confirmed its forces have killed Hamas’s Gaza chief, Mohammad Sinwar, as US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff called the group’s counter-offer on a ceasefire “totally unacceptable”.
Mohammad Sinwar became the leader of the militant group in the Gaza Strip after his older brother Yahya Sinwar was killed last October.
In a statement, the Israeli military said it had killed Sinwar on 13 May, and was the target of a strike on a hospital in southern Gaza.
Hamas has neither confirmed nor denied his death, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told parliament on Wednesday that he had been “eliminated”.
A handout image of Mohammed Sinwar from December 2023. Pic: Israeli Army / Reuters
Hamas seeks changes in US ceasefire proposal
It comes as Hamas said it was seeking amendments to a US-proposed ceasefire deal, offering 10 living Israeli hostages and the bodies of 18 in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
On Thursday, the White House said Israel agreed to a 60-day ceasefire proposal, which would see the release of nine living hostages and half of the known hostages who have died over the course of a week.
Israel and Hamas would then continue talks to bring the remaining hostages home, but Israel would retain the right to resume military action in Gaza if talks were to break down.
In a statement about the proposal on Saturday, Hamas said its response “aims to achieve a permanent ceasefire, a complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and to ensure the flow of humanitarian aid to our people in the Strip”.
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Hamas offer ‘totally unacceptable’ – Witkoff
Donald Trump’s special Middle East envoy, Mr Witkoff, said on social media that Hamas’s response is “totally unacceptable and only takes us backwards”.
“Hamas should accept the framework proposal we put forward as the basis for proximity talks, which we can begin immediately this coming week,” he added.
Senior Hamas official Basem Naim told Reuters that the group has not rejected the proposal but added Mr Witkoff’s response was “unfair” and showed “complete bias” towards Israel.
Israel has not yet responded to Hamas’ counter-offer, but has previously rejected the conditions and demanded the complete disarmament and dismantling of the group.
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Meanwhile, Gaza aid groups have said dozens of World Food Programme (WFP) trucks carrying flour to Gaza bakeries had been hijacked by armed groups and subsequently looted by people.
The WFP added: “After nearly 80 days of a total blockade, communities are starving and they are no longer willing to watch food pass them by.”
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Amjad Al-Shawa, head of an umbrella group representing Palestinian aid groups, said hundreds more trucks were needed and accused Israel of a “systematic policy of starvation”.
Israel denies operating a policy of starvation and says it is facilitating aid deliveries via the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. Instead, it accuses Hamas of stealing supplies.
At least seven people have died in a train derailment in Russia which happened after a bridge collapsed.
Local authorities have blamed “illegal interference” for the incident in Bryansk region.
The train was travelling from Moscow to Klimov when it came off its tracks, killing the driver and six others. An infant was among 28 people taken to hospital.
Pic: Moscow Transport Prosecutor’s Office
Emergency workers are at the scene attempting to pull survivors from the wreckage.
Russian media reported that the passenger train crashed into the collapsed bridge.
There were a series of clashes with riot police in the French capital after Paris Saint-Germain won the Champions League for the first time on Saturday night.
Flares and fireworks were set off in Paris after PSG beat Inter Milan 5-0 in Munich – the biggest ever victory in a Champions League final.
Around 5,400 police were deployed across Paris after the game, with officers using tear gas and pepper spray on the Champs Elysees.
Pic: AP
Pic: AP
At the top of the Champs-Élysées, a water cannon was used to protect the Place de l’Étoile, near the landmark Arc de Triomphe.
Police said a large crowd not watching the match tried to push through a barrier to make contact with officers.
Some 131 arrests were made, including 30 who broke into a shoe shop on the Champs-Élysées.
Two cars were set alight close to Parc des Princes, police said.
PSG striker Ousmane Dembele appealed for calm in a post-match interview with Canal+, saying: “Let’s celebrate this but not tear everything up in Paris.”
Pics: AP
After the full-time whistle in Germany, thousands of supporters also tried to rush the field at the Allianz Arena.
Police lined up in front of the PSG end of the stadium at the final whistle, but struggled to contain the fans for several minutes when they came down from the stands following the trophy presentation.
Pics: AP
Desire Doue, the 19-year-old who scored two goals and assisted one in the final, said after the game: “I don’t have words. But what I can say is, ‘Thank you Paris,’ we did it.”
Despite being an Olympique de Marseille supporter, French President Emmanuel Macron also said on social media: “A glorious day for PSG!
“Bravo, we are all proud. Paris, the capital of Europe this evening.”
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Mr Macron’s office said the president would receive the players at the Elysee Palace on Sunday.
The team are also expected to parade down the Champs Elysees.
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