Syrian press expresses high expectations ahead of Assad's visit to China

The mainstream Syrian media expressed on Sunday high expectations for President Bashar Al-Assad's upcoming historical visit to China.

The official Al-Baath daily said in a front-page editorial that the visit would add a new momentum to relations between Syria and the outside world for the host country's political and economic weight in Asia and the world.

As one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, China could play a key role in resolving many conflicts and thorny issues across the world, the paper said.

The visit comes at a vital and significant time for the Arabs in general, in particular for Syria, who is facing unfair US sanctions, it added.

Syria would go on with the policy of dialogue and cooperation with other countries through strengthening relations with its friends in the world, it said.

In a front-page editorial, Al-Thawra, another official news paper, also described the visit as "very important", saying it comes under unstable international conditions that need a promising Chinese stand to return stability and balance to the international situations.

At the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao, Syrian President Assad will pay a five-day state visit to China from June 21 to 25.

Source: Xinhua