This is shocking news! Syrian President Bashar al-Assad visited China in September, his second visit to Chinese soil after 19 years.
Moreover, he not only received tens of billions of dollars of investment from China, but also enjoyed Air China's special plane transfer, specifically to prevent a country from assassinating him. What's going on here? Why does China take the controversial president so seriously? What are his and China's hidden secrets? Let's uncover this amazing mystery together!
Why charter transfers?
First, let's know that Assad is not a popular figure in Syria. Since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, he has been regarded as a thorn in the side of the United States and other Western countries, and has been constantly subjected to sanctions, interference and subversion. The United States has even used chemical weapons in an attempt to oust him from power.
Moreover, in Syria, there are many opposition fighters and terrorist groups that want to assassinate him. Therefore, Assad's visit abroad is not an easy task.
And China? As a responsible power, it has always maintained a friendly and neutral attitude towards Syria. At the United Nations Security Council, China has used its veto eight times to block resolutions against Assad's government.
Moreover, during the Syrian civil war, China did not intervene like the United States, but respected the independent choice of the Syrian people and supported a political solution. Therefore, Assad has great trust and gratitude to China.
Of course, this does not mean that China can invite Assad casually. After all, in the eyes of the United States and other Western countries, Assad is an "evil" dictator and a trampler of "human rights". If China receives him publicly, it may cause dissatisfaction and opposition from Western countries. Therefore, China must make full preparations and arrangements.
According to reports, Assad did not take Syria's own plane this time, but took a special plane of Air China. The plane flew to Damascus, the capital of Syria, to pick up President Assad, and then back to China. Moreover, during the flight, he did not choose the nearest route to fly directly to Beijing or Shanghai, but made a big circle, passing through Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan and other countries, and finally entered China's airspace from Xi'an. The purpose of this is to prevent the United States or other hostile forces from assassinating or interfering with Assad.
Moreover, along the way, China did not publicly announce Assad's visit, but kept it highly secretive. It wasn't until Assad's arrival at Hangzhou's Xiaoshan International Airport that media reported on his visit. At the airport, Wang Wentao personally greeted him and gave him great courtesy. This also shows that China attaches great importance to and respects Assad.
Why invest tens of billions?
We must know that Assad's visit to China this time is not just for sightseeing. He also has an important purpose, which is to seek China's economic assistance and cooperation. Because, after more than a decade of civil war, Syria has become a ruin. The country's infrastructure, industry, agriculture, education, medical care, etc. have all been severely damaged. Moreover, due to sanctions and blockades by Western countries such as the United States, Syria cannot obtain sufficient funds and materials from the outside world. Therefore, Syria is in desperate need of reconstruction and development, and China is their best partner.
Why? Because China has strong economic strength and technical capabilities, it can provide all kinds of help and support to Syria. Moreover, China also has extensive international influence and friendly relations, which can open up more cooperation space and market opportunities for Syria. More importantly, China and Syria have deep historical ties and cultural exchanges, and there is sincere friendship and mutual trust between the two peoples.
In fact, China and Syria already have a number of cooperation projects on the economic front. Before the outbreak of the Syrian civil war, Chinese state-owned energy giants Sinopec, Sinochem and PetroChina invested a total of $3 billion in Syria. In November 2018, China also signed a friendship agreement with Syria. Syria was included in the scope of the Belt and Road Initiative. This means that China will carry out more extensive and in-depth cooperation with Syria in infrastructure, energy, agriculture, industry, trade and other fields.
According to the Global Times, during Assad's visit to China, China also provided him with an investment agreement of $10 billion, covering various fields such as electric power, water conservancy, transportation, and communications. This is undoubtedly a huge boost to Syria's reconstruction and development. Moreover, before that, China also provided a large amount of humanitarian assistance to Syria, including medical supplies, food, clothing, etc. All this shows China's concern and support for the Syrian people.
Why defend a country?
Finally, we must know that Assad's visit to China this time is not an insignificant trivial matter. It is actually an event of great strategic importance. It not only reflects the deep friendship and mutual trust between China and Syria, but also shows the enhancement of China's influence and status in the Middle East. And this will undoubtedly make a certain country feel uneasy and afraid.
Do you know which country I'm talking about? That's right, the United States. The United States has always regarded Syria as its enemy in the Middle East, seeking ways to interfere in its internal affairs, support opposition forces, and even use chemical weapons in an attempt to overthrow the Assad government. The purpose of the United States is to control Syria's oil resources, weaken the influence of Iran and Russia in the Middle East, and safeguard Israel's security interests.
And China? As a responsible power, it has always maintained a friendly and neutral attitude towards Syria. China not only spoke up for Syria at the UN Security Council, but also provided Syria with a large amount of humanitarian aid and economic cooperation. China also supports the Syrian people in independently choosing their own political future and opposes interference and sanctions by external forces. China has also included Syria in the scope of the Belt and Road Initiative, providing new opportunities for its reconstruction and development.
In this way, China has become Syria's most reliable friend and partner. And the United States? I can only watch my political space in the Middle East being gradually squeezed out by China. The United States, of course, is not willing and will not sit still. Therefore, the United States will try to obstruct and undermine the friendly relations between China and Syria. There could even be an assassination or military strike against Assad.
So China must be careful to protect Assad's security. This is also why China has arranged special plane transfers, detours, confidential itineraries, and high-standard reception for Assad. These are specifically designed to prevent a country from assassinating or interfering with Assad.