Fu Cong, China’s permanent representative to the United Nations, on Wednesday called on the international community to strengthen solidarity and coordinate its actions to support and help Syria achieve stability and development.

Fu made the call at a UN Security Council meeting on Syria, at which he also stressed that the situation in Syria is now at a critical stage and that there are daunting challenges ahead.

He noted that China supports a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political process in accordance with the spirit and principles of Council Resolution 2254, adding that the international community must effectively respect Syria’s right to pursue a development path in line with its national conditions, and allow the Syrian people to decide their country’s future based on their will.

“China notes that the national dialogue conference scheduled for January 5 has been postponed. We expect all parties in Syria to proceed from the long-term interests of the country and people and start an open and inclusive political settlement process,” Fu said.

The Chinese envoy pointed out that no matter how the domestic situation in Syria develops, the bottom line of zero tolerance for terrorism cannot be changed.

It is reported that the Syrian army has recently granted senior military ranks to a number of foreign terrorist fighters, including the head of a Council-listed terrorist organization, the Turkistan Islamic Party, also known as the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, Fu said, before expressing China’s concern about the issue.

He called on Syria to fulfill its counter-terrorism obligations and to prevent any terrorist forces from using Syrian territory to threaten the security of other countries.