China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has pledged to rehabilitate war-torn Syria. China has committed loans and aid packages of $23 billion for the Arab region of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum. In addition, China has pledged to contribute $2 billion toward building the country which is continuously being brought to its knees by war.
Syria is a pivotal connection within the BRI. China has provided Syria with 800 electrical power generators to Syria’s largest port, Lattakia. China is set to play a significant role in the immediate process of the reconstruction that will transpire in postwar Syria. Chinese technology giant Huawei has also committed to restoring Syria’s telecommunications by the year 2020. Chinese officials have progressively arranged for Syria to be part of President Xi Jinping’s BRI to shore up trade routes across the globe.
About 80% of Syria’s Foreign trade is gauged by China, which makes it Syria’s largest trade partner. Chinese businesses are keen to restructure towns, villages, roads, bridges, hospitals, and schools that were torn apart during all these years of war in Syria. China is focused on South Asia, the Middle East, and East Africa – regions in their mediation efforts, in hopes to preserve stability along the BRI to allow for the progression of trade and investment through precarious regions and to enhance the security conditions for Chinese nationals and firms residing and operating in Syria.
China has mediated nine conflicts internationally, including; Bangladesh-Myanmar dispute over the Rohingya people, the civil war in Syria, the Israel-Palestine conflict, to mention a few. On the humanitarian level, ambassador to Syria, Qi Qianjian maintained that China would continue to supply Syria with humanitarian aid worth US$70 million annually. The Chinese envoy has called for attempts to scrimmage terrorism in Syria as counterterrorism could be part of the solution to the Syrian war.
A Security Council meeting held at the United Nations headquarters in New York, Ma Zhaoxu said the future of Syria entirely lies in the hands of the Syrian people, he also mentioned China’s willingness to work alongside the Security Council to accelerate support for UN attempts toward emerging victorious in assisting Syria to rebuild postwar. China is resolute in their intention to help build war-torn Syria during these difficult times, also taking into account that China is taking advantage of economic opportunities in postwar Syria. The world bank has estimated this to be $400 billion. China’s arms exports will also possibly increase due to the rehabilitation of the Syrian army.