China sends over 4,000 tons of rice to Syria

China has sent over 4,000 tons of rice to Syria, amid the ongoing economic crisis and shortage of food throughout the country over the past two years.

At the headquarters of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) in Damascus yesterday, Chinese ambassador, Feng Biao, and the head of SARC, Khaled Hboubati, signed the deal for the delivery of the food aid.

#Syria on Sunday received more than 4,000 tonnes of #China’s rice assistance, the latest in a long line of humanitarian supplies China has provided to Syria to ease the shortage of food. pic.twitter.com/29SQoJTZE2

— 曹 毅 CAO Yi أبو وسيم (@CaoYi_MFA) January 17, 2022

Upon the signing, ambassador Biao stated that “We hope that the aid will help to alleviate the suffering of Syrians and, on this occasion, I would like to express my gratitude to the SARC for their collaboration”.

The rice sent from China is the latest out of many previous deliveries Beijing has authorised over the years, with the Chinese government supporting the regime of Bashar Al-Assad throughout the ongoing decade-long conflict.

Since 2019, there has been a severe shortage of essentials such as wheat and fuel due to drought, water shortages in the country and the region as a whole, and international sanctions. It has prompted Assad to receive wheat from Russia and fuel from Iran, but China is increasingly seeming like a more prominent patron to the Syrian government.

The increasing cooperation between Damascus and Beijing also comes amid Syria’s joining of China’s ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ last week, allowing the Syrian government to have greater access to Chinese assistance and support.

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