Syria's Assad visits China seeking funds

Hangzhou, China: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Thursday began his first official trip to China in almost two decades, with Beijing saying the visit will take ties to a "new level" as the Arab leader seeks financial support to help rebuild his devastated country.

China is one of only a handful of countries outside the Middle East that Assad has visited since the 2011 start of a civil war.

He arrived Thursday in the eastern city of Hangzhou, where he will attend the opening ceremony of the Asian Games on Saturday.

The Syrian president's Air China plane was greeted on the tarmac by jubilant music and rows of performers wearing colourful costumes, as Chinese and Syrian flags flapped in the sky, footage from state broadcaster CCTV showed.

He and other foreign leaders will meet Xi in Hangzhou, CCTV said.

According to the Syrian presidency, Assad will also travel to Beijing.

The visit is his first to China since 2004.

China's foreign ministry said the visit will serve to take ties to a "new level".

"China and Syria have a traditional and deep friendship," foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a regular briefing.

"We believe that President Bashar al-Assad's visit will further deepen mutual political trust and cooperation in various fields between the two countries," she added.

Beijing has long provided Damascus with diplomatic support, particularly at the UN Security Council where it is a permanent member.

The visit comes as China expands its engagement in the Middle East.

"Assad intends for his trip to China to convey a sense of international legitimacy for his regime and paint a picture of looming Chinese support for reconstruction in Syria," said Lina Khatib, director of the Middle East Institute at SOAS university in London.

Khatib noted that the timing is significant, with Assad now facing protests calling for regime change in southern Syria.

Analysts expect Assad's visit to China will focus, in part, on funds for reconstruction.