China maintains contacts with all parties to the Syrian conflict in order to achieve a political settlement through peace talks, Special Envoy of the Chinese Government on the Syrian Issue Xie Xiaoyan said, Sputnik reported.
"We are in touch with the Syrian government, the opposition, the regional countries, and other powers that are either directly, or indirectly, involved in the Syrian issue, and this is our advantage in mediation," Xie said Saturday during his visit to Damascus, as quoted by Xinhua news agency.
The Chinese official stressed that Beijing remained committed to political reconciliation process.
Speaking about the establishment of the de-escalation zones in Syria, Xie pointed out that it was an important step in the crisis settlement.
The Chinese special envoy highlighted that there was no quick solution to the Syrian problem, and called on the all involved to make efforts to settle the issue.
"China has patience and confidence to advance settlement of the Syrian issue on the right track through concrete work, so that the crisis could gradually ease before it is finally resolved," he added.
Syria has been in a grip of civil war for six years, with government forces fighting against both Syrian opposition groups who strive to overthrow President Bashar Assad, and numerous extremist and terrorist groups such as the Islamic State (Daesh) and Jabhat Fatah al Sham.
At the latest Astana meeting on Syria on May 3-4, three ceasefire guarantor states - Russia, Iran, Turkey - finalized and signed a memorandum on establishment of four safe zones in Syria. The four zones span the northwestern Idlib province and parts of the neighboring Latakia, Hama and Aleppo, the north of the central Homs province, Eastern Ghouta near Damascus, as well as southern Daraa and Quneitra regions. The memorandum came into force on May 6.