CHINA said on Monday that it was ready to steer its relationship with Syria back on the right track and pledged support for the Middle Eastern country to move towards peace.

The support for the new Syrian regime came from Foreign Minister Wang Yi during a meeting in Beijing with Syria’s interim foreign minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani.

Mr Shaibani’s visit marked the first by a senior official from Syria’s interim government since its formation in March.

Mr Wang said there were shared interests and a long-standing friendship between China and Syria, and reaffirmed China’s commitment to respect for the choices of the Syrian people.

The Chinese foreign minister said his country appreciated Syria’s commitment to the one-China principle and expressed hope that Syria will firmly support the Chinese people’s just cause of opposing Taiwan independence “separatist forces and achieving national reunification, so as to jointly uphold the political foundation of bilateral relations.”

Mr Wang acknowledged Syria’s pledge to prevent any entity from using its territory to undermine China’s interests, particularly regarding the terrorist organisation the East Turkestan Islamic Movement.

Mr Shaibani reaffirmed Syria’s support for the one-China principle, recognised China’s security concerns and firmly opposed all forms of terrorism.

As next year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of China-Syria relations, Mr Wang said the two sides need to gradually resume exchanges across a range of levels.

He added that China welcomes Syria’s participation in the joint building of the Belt and Road.

Mr Wang said that China was willing to actively consider ways of supporting Syria’s economic reconstruction and to contribute to its social development and improvement of people’s livelihoods.

Mr Shaibani said that Syria holds China in high regard and places great emphasis on its ties with the country.

He expressed gratitude to China for its support of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as its long-term assistance to the Syrian people.