China calls for 'political solution' to restore stability in Syria

BEIJING - China's foreign ministry on Monday called for a "political solution" to be found in Syria as soon as possible to restore stability and order, after rebels seized the Syrian capital over the weekend and its president fled to Russia.

China is closely following developments in Syria, and hopes all relevant parties will act in the fundamental interests of the Syrian people, Mao Ning, spokesperson at the Chinese foreign ministry, said at a regular news conference.

On Sunday, Syrian rebels announced on state television that they had ousted President Bashar al-Assad, ending a 50-year family dynasty in an offensive that raised fears of a new wave of instability in a Middle East already gripped by war.

The lightning advance of a militia alliance spearheaded by Hayat al-Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a former al-Qaeda affiliate, marked one of the biggest turning points for the region in generations. HTS is designated as a terrorist group by the United States, Turkey and the United Nations.

"The future and destiny of Syria should be decided by the Syrian people, and we hope that all the relevant parties will find a political solution to restore stability and order as soon as possible," Mao said.

(Reporting by Ryan Woo and Ethan Wang; Editing by Christopher Cushing and Tom Hogue)