China urges joint efforts to promote resolution in Syria

17:15, October 10, 2019

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  NATO chief urges Turkey to show restraint in Syria

  ATHENS, Oct. 11 (Xinhua) -- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Thursday called Turkey to show restraint in northern Syria and avoid actions that may further destabilize the region.The NATO emblem is seen at the NATO headquarters in Brussels in 2013.(File Photo: VCG)"I count on Turkey to show restraint and to ensure that their actions in northern Syria are measured and proportionate and avoid even more human suffering," Stoltenberg told reporters after meeting Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.The Greek leader warned about humanitarian repercussions from the forceful displacement of population in Syria. "The only solution in Syria is a political one. Unilateral military actions do not help towards that direction," said Mitsotakis.On Friday, Stoltenberg will head to Istanbul, where he is expected to meet with top-level Turkish officials.Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday declared the beginning of the military campaign to eliminate the Kurdish forces in northern Syria, which Ankara deems as terrorists and separatists.

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  Uruguay hopes for joint LatAm effort to attract Chinese visitors

  File photo: CGTNBUENOS AIRES, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) -- Latin American countries should join forces to attract more Chinese visitors to the region, said Uruguayan Minister of Tourism Liliam Kechichian on Tuesday."It is a topic being covered at talks between Mercosurs tourism ministers," said Kechichian, who was present at the 24th edition of the International Tourism Fair of Latin America being held in Argentinas capital Buenos Aires.With the long distances Chinese tourists travel to arrive in Latin America, it makes sense to offer them diverse routes that combine visits to several countries, she said."Certainly, for Chinese visitors it is not attractive to visit just one place in South America, (we have to offer them) a circuit instead," said Kechichian.In the meantime, foreign visitors to the region have a series of benefits to take advantage of, said Kechichian, referring to the total elimination of value-added tax on such services as hotel accommodations, restaurants and event planning.As China is the worlds leading source of outbound tourism, Uruguay and other countries are hoping to enjoy a share of the market.Uruguays Deputy Minister of Tourism Benjamin Liberoff said the country is preparing to promote itself as a tourist destination at the second China International Import Expo to be held in Shanghai in November."... Uruguay is sending a delegation there," said Liberoff.Though more and more Chinese tourists are visiting Uruguay, the number is still small, standing at some 5,000 a year, he said."The idea... is to jointly promote (the region). We want, as a region, to include China more, and we are working to head in that direction," said Liberoff.

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  Chinese Foreign Ministry urges Turkey to halt military action in Syria

  China called on Turkey to stop its military action in Syria and "come back to the right track" by solving problems through political and diplomatic channels within the framework of international law, Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.File photo: VCGChina has consistently opposed the use of force in international relations, the ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said at a regular press conference.He said Syrias sovereignty independence and territorial integrity must be respected and upheld in order to create favorable conditions for the political settlement."We advocated that all parties should adhere to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, as well as the basic norms of international relations," said Geng.The spokesperson has also called on Turkey to take responsibility and work with the international community to fight terrorism since earlier reports indicate that Turkish military operations may result in the release of captured ISIL terrorists.Turkey launched a cross-border assault against the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia last Wednesday, after Trump withdrew some U.S. troops from the region, drawing warnings of a humanitarian catastrophe and a resurgence of ISIL. Meanwhile, Trump has reiterated that he would pull the remaining U.S. troops out of Syria and redeploy them elsewhere in the region to monitor the situation.On Monday, Trump imposed sanctions on Turkey and called on the country to stop.