Damascus, 14 January 2022 (TDI): Syria joined the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) of China, on Wednesday. The venture will help the country to extensively collaborate with China and other countries for mutual benefit.
A ceremony took place at the Planning and International Cooperation Commission of Syria, for the country to formally join the initiative. The ceremony was held in the capital Damascus and was attended by the Head of the Commission, Fadi Khalil, and China’s Ambassador to Syria, Feng Biao.
During the ceremony, both sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Syria joining the economic venture. On the occasion, Fadi Khalil stated that this latest development will revive the old role of Syria with regards to the ancient Silk Road.
Moreover, it will increase bilateral collaboration between the two countries as well as multilateral cooperation with other states that want to cooperate with Syria.
The Head of the Syrian Commission further highlighted that historically Syria had been one of the principal countries on the ancient Silk Road especially the cities of Palmyra and Aleppo.
He underscored that the signing of Syria’s admission into the economic initiative is the reflection of the ancient and long history of cooperation and friendship between China and Syria.
The Chinese Ambassador on his part expressed that the collaboration between the two countries will provide the most significant contribution to the social development and economic reconstruction in the Arab country. Furthermore, it will also enhance the harmonization between the BRI as well as the eastward scheme proposed by Syria.
Ambassador Feng Biao enunciated that the BRI is in line with the desire of the world’s countries for comprehensive economic participation and the initiative has emerged as the most comprehensive globally collaborative forum in the world.
The BRI was proposed by China in 2013 and is comprised of the Silk Road Economic Belt as well as the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. The venture aims to build a trade, infrastructure, investment network, along with linking Asia with other regions of the world along the ancient Silk Road trade routes and beyond.
