China said Thursday its Deputy Foreign Minister Zhai Jun will travel to Syria for a two-day visit on Friday, in an effort to find a peaceful resolution to the ongoing violence in the unrest-hit Middle East nation.
Ahead of his departure to Syria, Zhai was quoted as saying in a statement posted on the website of the country's foreign ministry that China "does not approve of the use of force to interfere in Syria or the forceful pushing of a so-called regime change."
Zhai, who met a Syrian opposition delegation in Beijing last week, added that China believes "sanctions or the threat of sanctions are not conducive to the appropriate resolution of this issue".
The development comes just two weeks after China, along with Russia, vetoed a UN resolution endorsing an Arab League plan for Syria when it was put to vote at the UN Security Council (UNSC) on February 4.
The Arab League plan required Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down and authorize his deputy to initiate peace talks with the opposition for forming a national unity government. Both Russia and China insisted that the plan amounted to regime change in Syria.
Incidentally, the two nations had jointly vetoed a Western resolution condemning repression in Syria in October. Since the February 4 veto, Russia has been attempting to mediate talks between the Syrian regime and the opposition for a solution to the crisis.
Despite the Chinese and Russian vetoes, the resolution endorsing the Arab League plan is set to be voted on at the UN General assembly later in the day. Although the resolution cannot be vetoed in the General Assembly, it would be non-binding even if it is approved.
The U.N. estimates that more than 5,400 people have died in Syria since pro-democracy protests began last March. The regime of President Bashar al-Assad , however, blames "armed terrorist gangs" backed by Islamists and foreign mercenaries for the violence in the country. The Syrian government has also warned against any foreign military intervention in the Middle East nation.
In wake of the mounting international pressure, President Assad on Wednesday issued a decree for a referendum on a new draft constitution that ends nearly 50 years of single-party rule in the country, allowing political parties other than the ruling Baath Party to contest in democratic elections.
At the beginning of the unrest, the opposition activists were only demanding the implementation of political and economic reforms. Now they are demand the immediate ouster of Assad in wake of the deaths of thousands in security operations to quell the unrest.
Reports emerging from Syria indicate the regime is continuing to use tanks and hundreds of heavily-armed troops in military operations to put down the unrest in Homs as well as several other Syrian cities and towns. Activists say at least 40 people have been killed across Syria on Thursday alone, but such claims cannot be independently verified as most foreign media are barred from the country.
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Market Analysis
June 05, 2026 16:18 ET A busy week for economic news flow saw a slew of reports being released that reflected the trends in the U.S. labor market. In Europe, economic growth and inflation data gained attention as the European Central Bank and Bank of England head for policy session later in the month. In Asia, the monetary policy session of the Indian central bank was in focus as the country, a major oil importer, reels under the pressures of a weaker rupee and rising inflation.