Syria’s President Bashar Al-Assad in China

By Staff, Agencies

Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad arrived in China on Thursday for a bilateral summit in his first visit since the war erupted in his country 12 years ago.

Al-Assad’s trip comes as Beijing is seeking to increase its diplomatic influence in the Middle East and as Damascus is being tentatively welcomed back into the fold by regional powers that once backed the Syrian opposition.

China has traditionally focused on its expanding trade partnerships in the region and avoided getting involved in politics. 

However, it surprised many in March by brokering an agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran that led to the regional rivals agreeing to restore diplomatic relations.

Al-Assad has made few foreign trips since the war erupted in 2011.

In May, he traveled to Saudi Arabia for the first time since the conflict began after Riyadh led a regional diplomatic push to have Syria reintegrated into the Arab League.