Syria, China Sign Economic, Technical Cooperation Agreement at 100 Million yuan

DAMASCUS, (ST)- Syria and China on Monday signed an economic and technical cooperation agreement according to which China grants the Syrian government 100 million yuan ($17 million) to fund humanitarian requirments that are to be specified and agreed on in a later stage.

The agreement was signed at the headquarters of the Planning of International Cooperation Commission by the Commission’s head Imad Sabouni and the Chinese Ambassador in Damascus Feng Biao.

 “This is the third grant to be provided by China to the Syrian government since 2016,” said Sabouni following the signing ceremony.  The first was estimated at 110 million yuan while the second was estimated at 200 million yuan and both aimed at meeting the needs of several sectors, including electricity, customs and transport, he added.

Sabouni went on to say that China has also provided a grant for the Syrian higher education sector and another one for enhancing food security in Syria.

He pointed out that Syria and China held talks on building and enhancing abilities within the framework of Syria’s reconstruction efforts aiming at benefitting from the Chinese experience in this regard, noting that a training course on this topic will be held within the coming few months.

On his part, Biao hailed the Syrian-Chinese “long-term strategic” relations, pointing out that China’s assistance to Syria expresses the Chinese people’s support for the Syrian people.

He stressed that his country will continue this support till Syria’s complete recovery.

Hamda Mustafa