Wang asks West to stop meddling in the Middle East

State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday called on the US and other Western countries to refrain from meddling in internal affairs of the Middle East and attempting to transform the region based on their own standards.

Speaking to Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad via video link, Wang urged the United States and other Western nations to truly respect national sovereignty of countries in the Middle East.

They should contribute more to peace and development in the Middle East by listening to the needs of people in the region, he added.

Wang pledged China would continue to speak up for Syria in safeguarding its sovereign independence, territorial integrity and national dignity.

Wang said that China supports Syria in improving relations with its neighbors and hoped the country could restore peace and stability as well as return to the family of League of Arab States at an early date.

Wang maintained that the political settlement of the Syrian issue should follow the Syrian-owned and Syrian-led principles, adding it is the Syrian people that should independently decide the future of their country.

He called for the international community to provide Syria with humanitarian assistance without political strings attached so as to help the country's reconstruction.

Wang said China also firmly supports people in the Middle East in independently exploring the path of development and solving regional security issues through unity and self-improvement.

China believes people in the Middle East have the capability and wisdom to safeguard peace and stability in the region and resolve problems left over by history, he added.

As the Palestinian issue is the core of the issues in the Middle East, Wang said it should not be forgotten by the international community, still less marginalized.

The hardship suffered by Palestinian people should not be allowed to continue, he added.

China would like to strengthen coordination with all parties concerned to promote the Palestinian issue to be reincorporated into the priority of the international agenda, Wang said.

Mekdad said Syria firmly supports China in safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity and opposes external forces to interfere in China's internal affairs.

He stressed rumors spread by the US and Western countries on China's Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Tibet will be broken into pieces.

As China's Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative would usher in a broader prospect for global peace, development and cooperation, he said Syria firmly supports the two initiatives and stands ready to actively join them.

He vowed that Syria is willing to step up coordination with China and support multilateralism to keep the world away from hegemonic power and make the world enjoy peace, security and stability.