A senior Chinese military official has expressed China's intent to seek closer military cooperation with Syria.     

Guan Youfei, director of the Office for International Military Cooperation of China's Central Military Commission, recently held a meeting with Syrian Defence Minister Fahad Jassim al-Freij in Damascus, Chinese state media Xinhua news agency reported.

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"China and Syria's militaries have a traditionally friendly relationship, and China's military is willing to keep strengthening exchanges and cooperation with Syria's military," Guan was quoted saying by Chinese media.

Both military officials who discussed personnel training reportedly arrived at a consensus on Chinese military offering humanitarian aid to the war-ravaged Syria.

China has recently been taking keen a interest in Syria, which has been plagued by a civil war following violent protests against President Bashar al-Assad's government in 2011. China has been sending several envoys to Syria in a bid to reach a resolution. Beijing has also been hosting officials from the Syrian government and opposition parties.

However, some experts have cautioned China of getting involved in Syria's problem since China is fighting insurgency among the Uighurs in the province of Xinjiang. Reports reveal that several Uighurs insurgents have fled to Syria to join the Islamic state.             

Traditionally, China has left the Middle Eastern diplomacy to be sorted by Western forces led by the US. However, China's Middle Eastern diplomacy underwent a huge paradigm shift this year, with Chinese President going for an  unprecedented tour of Middle Eastern countries including Iran, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia earlier this year.

TagsChina and Syria, Syria, China and Middle East, china