China pledges new humanitarian relief to Middle East

China will offer further aid to relieve the humanitarian crisis in the Middle East, Deputy Foreign Minister Wang Chao said.

The country has provided 375 million yuan ($59 million) in aid to the region since the current turbulence emerged, he said.

China will speed distribution of aid already announced for West Asia and North Africa by the end of the year. In addition, China will offer new aid to the region, said he added.

Wang said these measures will help Middle Eastern countries improve their ability to accommodate refugees and help reduce the flow of displaced people.

Dong Manyuan, vice-president of the China Institute of International Studies, said a political settlement promoted by China will not only be the key solution to the Syrian crisis, but also the "fundamental way out" of the humanitarian crisis.

"China has proved that it cares about the refugees." Dong said.

China has been providing help to refugees via various channels, according to Dong. Aid in different forms is being delivered, not only to Syria, but also to countries accepting refugees such as Jordan and Lebanon.

"China has been clear about its stance - to seek a political settlement which is objective, fair and good for the Syrian people," Dong added.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi met on Monday with Bouthania Shaaban, political and media adviser to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, saying China will continue to offer help to tackle the current humanitarian crisis in Syria.

The flow of refugees in the Middle East has seriously endangered the stability of the region and its surrounding areas, which need more efforts from all parties, including China, to lessen the impact, he said.

Xinhua contributed to this story.

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