China welcomes UN resolution, OPCW decision on Syria

China on Saturday welcomed a UN resolution and a decision by an international chemical weapons watchdog regarding Syrian chemical weapons.

"China welcomes the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)'s decision and the United Nations Security Council's resolution on Syrian chemical weapons," Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said in a statement.

Qin's comments came after the UN Security Council voted unanimously on Friday to adopt a resolution aimed at ridding war-torn Syria of chemical weapons. Earlier, the OPCW also agreed on a plan to destroy Syria's stockpile by mid-2014.

Qin said China's stance on chemical weapons is consistent and clear.

"We resolutely oppose use of chemical weapons by any country or person and strongly condemn the act of using chemical weapons in Syria," Qin said.

He underscored China's stance on resolving the Syrian chemical weapons issue and related issues through peaceful means, its opposition to external military intervention and its resolve to safeguard the principles of the UN charter and basic norms of international relations.

Qin said China expects the UN resolution and the OPCW decision to be fully and accurately implemented.

"We expect the OPCW and the UN to carry out checks and destruction of weapons in an objective, fair, neutral and professional way and urge all parties in Syria to offer full support and coordination," Qin said.

China would like to send experts to join in related work and offer financial help, Qin said.

Stressing that the UN resolution sends a clear signal of political settlement on the Syrian issue, Qin said China called on all parties in Syria to cease fire and violence, make joint efforts with the international community, seek an early start of the Geneva II conference, and begin the political transition process on the basis of the Geneva communique.

Qin said China will continue to make efforts in this regard.