China welcomes progress in destruction of Syrian chemical weapons

BEIJING - China on Friday welcomed the latest progress in Syria's chemical weapons destruction and called for continued international efforts to complete the mission at an early date.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang made the comment after an international mission announced on Thursday that more than 90 percent of Syria's chemical weapons materials had been removed and destroyed.

Chemical weapons transportation has entered the final stage as materials were transported out of Syria with the escort of Chinese and Russian military vessels, Qin said at a daily news briefing.

"China welcomes the progress and applauds the efforts of all sides," he said.

He called on all parties to cherish the hard-won progress and maintain close contacts and cooperation so as to complete the destruction mandate at an early date and create favorable conditions for a political solution on Syria.

Qin reiterated that a political solution on Syria is a model for international partnership to resolve security issues, and that China has played an important and constructive role in the efforts.

China has strictly followed and implemented relevant decisions and resolutions of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the United Nations, Qin said.

China has also sent experts to join the inspection of chemical weapons,offered material assistance and dispatched military ships to participate in the joint escort of weapons transportation, according to Qin.

China has kept close contact with all sides to ensure the smooth and safe transportation and destruction of chemical weapons, the spokesman added.

The removal of the most critical materials for destruction began in early January, in line with an agreement brokered by Russia and the United States. The entire Syrian chemical arsenal must be destroyed by June 30.