Syrian president's visit to deepen mutual trust

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad arrived on Thursday in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, on his first trip to China in almost 20 years.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told a news briefing in Beijing that President Xi Jinping and other Chinese leaders will meet with Assad to exchange views on bilateral relations and issues of mutual interest.

She said that Assad's visit would "further deepen" mutual political trust and cooperation in various fields between the two countries and take bilateral relations "to new heights".