China repeats calls for political solution to Syria crisis

China has reiterated calls for a political solution to the ongoing turmoil in Syria after the Arab League gave the crisis-hit country’s seat to its opposition bloc.

“China always regards a political resolution as an only and realistic option for resolving the Syria issue,” Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hong Lei said during a press conference in Beijing on Thursday.

Hong further said his country would keep in touch with both the Syrian government and its opposition coalition in an effort to initiate political dialogue between the two sides.

“We have maintained contact with the Syrian government and the opposition, and we will continue to do so in the future,” Hong said.

The Chinese official made the remarks just days after Syria’s opposition bloc, known as the National Coalition, took the country’s seat during the Arab League’s annual summit held in the Qatari capital, Doha.

The League also authorized its members to send all the means of what it called self-defense, including weapons, to foreign-backed militants fighting against the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Hong added, “The international community should play a positive and constructive role in seeking a political settlement.”

Many people, including large numbers of soldiers and security personnel, have been killed in the violence that broke out in Syria in March 2011.