Syrian UN envoy to travel to China

UN-Arab League peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi will begin a two-day visit to China today, after a UN-brokered truce failed to stop airstrikes against rebels in Syria, Reuters reported, citing a Chinese Foreign Ministry announcement. The ministry did not say who the envoy will meet during the visit. China has vetoed three UN resolutions denouncing violence committed by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government. Despite this, Beijing has not taken sides in the conflict and pushed the government there to negotiate with the opposition regarding their demands for reform. Beijing has come out in favor of forming a transitional government. “We have consistently expressed our appreciation and support for Special Representative Brahimi and have proactively proposed that relevant parties in Syria respond to Brahimi’s proposals for a ceasefire in Syria during the Eid al-Adha holiday period,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said.