China welcomes Syria's "positive gesture" to redeploy its troops stationed in Lebanon and withdraw majority of them, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao in Beijing Monday.

Liu made the remark when asked to comment on the Syrian government's announcement of pulling out troops in Lebanon.

Liu said China has noticed the announcement made by the Syrian government to redeploy and withdraw majority of its troops from Lebanon in accordance with the Taif Agreement.

China hopes Syria and Lebanon can reach agreement on related arrangements at an early date in a bid to properly handle the problem concerning the Syrian troops in Lebanon, said the spokesman.

The Taif Agreement, signed between Syria and various Lebanese groups in 1989, put an end to Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war and outlined the gradual pullout of Syrian forces from Lebanon.