Day: September 22, 2023

September 22, 2023 is a historic day for Chinese-Syrian relations, as President Xi Jinping and President Bashar al-Assad held a friendly meeting in the city of Khanzhou, and jointly announced the establishment of strategic partnership, said the Ambassador of China to Syria, Shi Hongwei, in a newspaper article on Friday.

This partnership would contribute to strategic planning at the highest level for exchanges and cooperation between the two countries in various fields, in addition to strengthening the traditional Chinese-Syrian friendship in an unprecedented way, he added.

China and Syria are two ancient civilized countries, and the exchange between the peoples of the two countries goes back to ancient times, as the ancient Silk Road connects them closely. 67 years ago, Syria was one of the first Arab countries to establish diplomatic relations with China, and opened a new page for Chinese-Syrian friendship. Despite the major changes in international and regional situations, China and Syria continued to exchange support, which made their extraordinary friendship a model for friendly relations between countries with different civilizations , Hongwei went on to say.

He added “China and Syria are still working to strengthen their friendship, and the two countries have loyalty and sincerity. In recent years, the two presidents have maintained close communication, established a deep personal friendship, and pushed the relations to move forward, and the Chinese side firmly supports the Syrian efforts to preserve the country’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, and supports the Syrian people to move on the path of development.

The ambassador pointed out that his country rejects the illegal military presence of foreign powers in Syria, the carrying out of illegal military operations there, and the plundering of its natural resources. It also calls on the concerned countries to immediately lift all unilateral and illegitimate sanctions on Syria.

The Syrian side continues to stand with the Chinese on issues related to Taiwan, Tibet, Hong Kong and the South China Sea, and participates positively in the Global Security Initiative, the Global Development Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative,the ambassador refered.

“The two countries seek development through cooperation and mutual benefit, and China is the second largest source of commercial imports in Syria, and despite the serious impact resulting from the unilateral and illegal sanctions on Syria imposed by the US and Western countries, economic and trade cooperation between the two countries has achieved fruitful results in recent years.”

Since the beginning of the crisis in Syria, China immediately extended a helping hand to it, providing a large amount of aid, including food supplies, buses, vaccines, medical equipment and trained a large number of Syrian cadres in various fields, and after the devastating earthquake that struck the country in last February, the Chinese side provided the stricken areas, from the first moment, with clothes, tents, medicines, food, prefabricated housing units, and other urgent rescue materials, the ambassador said.

Hongwei noted “The two sides appreciate each other in a way that enhances their communication which has never ceased at the popular and cultural levels, and they have taken advantage of their possessing ancient civilizations, to show the beauty of their civilization in a way that deepens the cultural and civilizational exchange and pushes it to continue.

The ambassador pointed out that China has also been working positively to enhance exchanges and bilateral cooperation in the field of education, as every year a large number of Syrian students go to China to study for bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

Hongwei concluded his article by saying: I am confident that under the joint strategic guidance of President Xi and President al-Assad, the deep friendship will continue to write a new chapter in the new historical period, and bilateral relations will continually rise to new levels, thus contributing more to enhancing security and stability.

Source: Syrian Arab News Agency

The Syrian Arab Republic and the People’s Republic of China adopt a joint declaration announcing the establishment of strategic partnership relations between both countries.

The statement was announced following the summit meeting between Presidents Bashar Al-Assad and Xi Jinping in the Chinese city of Hangzhou.

According to the statement, the two sides will continue to exchange strong support on issues relating to the core interests and major concerns of each country.

“The Syrian side firmly adheres to the One-China principle and recognizes that the Government of the People’s Republic of China is the only legitimate government representing all of China, and that Taiwan is an integral part of Chinese territory, as well as supports the efforts of Beijing to preserve its sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity,” the statement stated.

According to the statment, the Chinese side firmly supports Syrian efforts to preserve the country’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, supports the Syrian people to follow the development path consistent with national conditions, and supports Syrian policies and measures adopted by the Syrian government to maintain the security, stability and development of the country.

The Chinese side rejects the interference of foreign powers in the internal affairs of Syria and everything that affects its security and stability, and also rejects the illegal military presence, the illegal military operations and the illegal looting of natural resources. from Syria.

In the statement, Beijing urged the immediate lifting of all unilateral and illegal sanctions imposed on Syria.

The two sides will enhance friendly cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, agriculture, culture, youth, media, etc., and the Chinese side will continue to provide all possible assistance to Syria and support the Syrian efforts for reconstruction and recovery are underway, the statement stated.

The declaration stipulates that the two countries categorically oppose hegemony and force politics in any form, including the imposition of unilateral sanctions and illegal restrictive measures on other countries.

They also promote the establishment of a new type of international relations and work hand in hand to build a community of shared future for humanity.

Source: Syrian Arab News Agency

President Bashar al-Assad and the Chinese President Xi Jinping announced ,during a summit meeting, a “strategic partnership” in various fields.

President al-Assad considered his visit to China is important in its timing and circumstances, as a multipolar world is being formed that would restore balance and stability to the world.

The Chinese President Xi Jinping described this meeting as a pivotal event in the history of bilateral relations between the two countries in facing international situations full of instability factors.

President al-Assad stressed that China stands with people’s just causes, based on the legal, humanitarian and moral principles that form the basis of Chinese policy in international forums based on the independence of states, respect for peoples’ will and the rejection of terrorism.

His Excellency pointed out that China is a major, advanced and economically strong country, but it has not lost its humanity like other developed countries, but rather plays a major role in balancing the political arena and establishing a new path of development.

“Syria will remain a loyal friend of China because what unites them are principles, and China also has a clear vision towards Syria and our region in general, and Syria supports all the initiatives put forward by Xi Jinping to ensure a safe future for humanity and adheres to the one-China principle”, President al-Assad added.

Al-Assad considered that there is no difference between Syria, Ukraine, and the South China Sea, as the West uses these arenas to confuse countries, so we must confront the principle of military power with the principle of soft power based on ethics and cooperation approved by China.

Chinese President Xi Jinping said “For 67 years, Syrian-Chinese relations have been firm in the face of the changing international situation, and the friendship between both countries remains firm over time,”.

He stressed that his country is keen to boost cooperation with Syria within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, and supports Syria’s accession to the Shanghai Organization as a partner for dialogue.

President Xi Jinping added that China also steadfastly supports Syrian efforts against external interference, rejects the presence of illegal forces on Syrian territory, and urges countries to lift sanctions and the illegal economic blockade, in addition to its support for building Syrian capabilities in combating terrorism.

He thanked Syria for its support to China on issues related to Taiwan and Cheng Yang.

President Xi Jinping underlined that the discussions with President al-Assad were fruitful and broad consensuses were reached.

The discussions witnessed the signing of agreements and memorandums of understanding between the Syrian and Chinese governments.

“Economic Cooperation Agreement between the two Countries”, a “Joint Memorandum of Understanding for Economic Development and Cooperation”, and a “Memorandum of Understanding on the Common Context of Cooperation Plan of a Belt and Road Initiative were signed.

President Bashar al-Assad and First Lady, Mrs. Asma al-Assad started on Thursday a visit to the People’s Republic of China.

An official reception ceremony was held at Hangzhou International Airport, as President al-Assad and the First Lady were received by Minister of Trade Wang Wentao, Vice Chairman of the Advisory Council of Zhejiang Province, Gong Xiwei, and the Chinese Ambassador to Damascus and his wife.

Source: Syrian Arab News Agency

The State of Qatar participated in side of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on rare diseases, under the title "Engaging the UN System and Member States to Achieve Universal Health Coverage for Persons Living with a Rare Disease: A Blueprint for Leaving No One Behind." HE Minister of Public Health Dr. Hanan Mohammed Al Kuwari represented Qatar at the event.

Her Excellency affirmed the State of Qatars firm commitment to addressing the challenges faced by individuals suffering from rare diseases, as part of the countrys endeavor to achieve sustainable development for all.

In her speech during the function, Her Excellency reviewed some of the State of Qatars tireless efforts to improve the lives of patients and their families, stressing the States keenness to develop preventive strategies that reduce the burden of rare diseases on patients and their families.

She pointed that in an era of remarkable scientific progress, the world sees daily leaps in medicine, especially in the field of genetics and rare diseases. The State of Qatar has made important progress in developing the necessary infrastructure for genomics and precision medicine, she said adding that Qatar is working to employ advanced sequencing technologies and enhance national and international cooperation to serve the achievement of Qatar National Vision 2030, to provide high-quality health care available to everyone.

Her Excellency added that national initiatives in the State of Qatar, such as Qatar Biobank and the Qatar Genome Programme, have played a pivotal role in creating a comprehensive map of genomics and health. She outlined that the Qatari genetic chip (Q-Chip) contributes to detecting variants of known genetic diseases specific to the population, which contributes to revolutionizing diagnosis and pharmacogenomics. This is an example of how genomic research can translate into tangible benefits for populations, shedding light on the secrets of rare diseases, she pointed.

HE Dr. Al Kuwari said that in 2018, the State of Qatar, in cooperation with international partners, established the National Center for Rare Diseases, which represents hope for countless patients in the Middle East. The center, led by a multidisciplinary team, aims to diagnose and manage cases of people with rare and complex diseases in the State of Qatar.

Her Excellency pointed out that the State of Qatar has the experience and technology necessary to contribute to the global knowledge economy, referring to Qatar's unique experiences, which deal with new variants and rare diseases, and its cooperation in international research and clinical trials, give Qatar the ability to make significant contributions.

She explained that the Qatar Institute for Precision Medicine is a witness to this, as it brings together those concerned under one umbrella, to achieve the desired progress in the field of precision medicine in the State of Qatar, noting that the Institute focusses on complex issues, with the help of international expertise.

Her Excellency also explained that rare diseases represent a global concern, given the unique diagnostic and therapeutic obstacles, pointing out that the scarcity of expertise and specialized centers and the related economic burdens necessitate cooperation and open communication with regional and international scientific institutions, to ensure equitable access to health care for those in need.

The event event was organized by the Rare Diseases International "RDI" in cooperation with the Spanish Permanent Mission to the United Nations, with high-level participation of relevant senior officials in a number of countries around the world and relevant international organizations.

The event highlighted successful national actions in implementing universal health coverage for people with rare diseases, explored ways to reduce expenses incurred by people with rare diseases and their families, and helped policy makers and stakeholders make progress in this area. (QNA)

Source: Qatar News Agency