Russia and Iran kept Bashar al-Assad in power and are the biggest strategic losers from the toppling of his brutal regime. But also spare a thought for Xi Jinping, who used the dubious ‘stability’ imposed on Syria by Tehran and Moscow to embrace the butcher of Damascus in a bid to extend Beijing’s influence in the region.
‘The future and destiny of Syria should be decided by the Syrian people, and we hope that all the relevant parties will find a political solution to restore stability and order as soon as possible,’ said Mao Ning, spokesperson at the Chinese foreign ministry, on Monday, in one of those deliciously vacuous statements so beloved of Beijing’s diplomats. Earlier, the Chinese embassy in Damascus had urged its citizens to leave Syria ‘as soon as possible’, since they could face ‘extremely high’ security risks.
Beijing has given Assad strong diplomatic and political support, while offering to help him rebuild his war-torn country
Beijing has given Assad strong diplomatic and political support, while offering to help him rebuild his war-torn country.
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