Syria supports one-China principle: senior official

Syrian Vice Foreign Minister Bassam Sabbagh delivers a speech at the General Debate of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York, on Sept. 26, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- Syria supports the one-China principle and recognizes China's right to defend its sovereignty, said Syrian Vice Foreign Minister Bassam Sabbagh on Tuesday.

"Syria supports the one-China principle; supports the positions of the People's Republic of China in confronting attempts of external interference in its internal affairs," said Sabbagh in his speech at the General Debate of the UN General Assembly.

Syria stresses China's inalienable right to take whatever measures and steps it decides to defend its sovereignty, he said.

In his speech, Sabbagh also said Syria condemns the decades-old economic blockade imposed on Cuba by the United States, and calls for an end to the military action and exercises conducted by the United States on the Korean Peninsula, which lead to escalation of tension in that region.

In addition, Syria demands the lifting of all forms of unilateral coercive measures imposed by Western countries on Russia, Iran, Venezuela, Belarus, Nicaragua, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Zimbabwe, Eritrea, and Syria, he said.

Syria considers these unilateral coercive measures economic terrorism no less brutal and dangerous than armed terrorism, in terms of its catastrophic humanitarian effects on the targeted peoples, he added.

Syrian Vice Foreign Minister Bassam Sabbagh (at the podium and on the screens) delivers a speech at the General Debate of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York, on Sept. 26, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Rui)