China welcomes removal of all Syrian chemical arsenal

China on Tuesday welcomed the removal of last chemical arsenal from Syria, calling on all parties to build on the progress for the political settlement of the issue.

The joint mission of the United Nations and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) announced Monday that Syria's declared chemical arsenal had been entirely removed from its territory.

Calling the work "a major achievement," Hua said China appreciates the efforts to remove and eliminate the weapons.

China has participated the mission by sending experts, donating equipment and sending escort vessels.

The UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution in September mandating the OPCW to oversee the process.

Work began in early January and all of Syria's chemical weapons will be destroyed by June 30, 2014 in international waters aboard a US ship equipped with facilities to render the chemicals inert.