China Urges Rebel Forces to Ensure Safety of Nationals as Assad Regime Falls

Beijing: A concerned China on Sunday asked the rebel forces, which took control of the Syrian capital, overthrowing President Bashar al-Assad, to ensure the safety of Chinese nationals and its institutions in the country.

Reacting to the rebel takeover of Syria, China, which had backed the Assad regime, said it was closely following the situation in the Arab country and hoped that stability would return as soon as possible.

A Foreign Ministry statement here said the Chinese Embassy is open in Damascus and extending all possible assistance to its nationals.

"We urge relevant parties in Syria to ensure the safety and security of the Chinese institutions and personnel in Syria,” it said.

The Chinese government has been actively helping Chinese nationals who wish to leave the country to do so in a safe and orderly way, staying in contact with those still in Syria and offering them advice on how to stay safe, it said.

“The Chinese Embassy is still up and running and carrying out its duty in Syria. We will continue to make every possible assistance to Chinese nationals in need," it said.

Earlier, as the rebel forces advanced towards Damascus, China voiced deep concern over the situation in Syria and said it would support the country in its efforts to safeguard national security and stability.

State-run Xinhua reported from Damascus on Sunday that opposition forces in Syria seized control of the capital “in a stunning turn of events following a rapid offensive that saw major Syrian cities “falling like dominos within days”.

After taking over, opposition fighters appeared on state television channels to announce what they described as the fall of Damascus and the end of President Assad's rule, the report said.

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