Damascus, SANA – Syria reiterated that it stands by the government of the People’s Republic of China and supports its sovereignty over its territory in the South China Sea.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Foreign and Expatriates Ministry said the Syrian government’s supportive stance towards China stems from its commitment to the international conventions that are consistent with the UN principles and goals and its keenness to stand by its friends at the international forums.
The Syrian government supports China’s sovereignty over its territory and its maritime interests in the South China Sea in what goes in line with the international law rules and the fundamental principles governing international relations set by the UN Charter, added the Ministry.
According to its statement, the Ministry stresses the need of resolving disputes in the South China Sea peacefully through direct negotiations and consultations among the countries concerned with the aim of reaching solutions acceptable to all sides that would contribute to maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea according to the “Code of Conduct” agreement adopted by the states of ASEAN and China in 2002.
Early this month, Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed that his country rejects any concession regarding its sovereignty in the South China Sea.
China’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement last week that it rejects and will not recognize the decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration on the South China Sea which claimed that China violated the Philippines’ sovereign rights in those waters.
Reem/H. Said