China backs resumption of Syria talks as soon as possible

China supports the restart of talks over Syria in Geneva as soon as possible, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said on Tuesday.

Hong made the remarks days after a cessation of hostilities agreement in Syria took effect.

Xinhua News Agency reported that the agreement took effect at midnight Damascus time on Feb 27 in all Syrian cities, and the UN Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura said that a new round of Syria talks will be held on March 7 if the cessation of hostilities "largely holds".

According to Xinhua, de Mistura announced in Geneva on Feb 3 the temporary pause of the intra-Syrian talks.

Stéphane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, told a press briefing on Monday that the Secretary-General said that the cessation of hostilities is holding in Syria, although there have been scattered incidents.

Hong, China's Foreign Ministry spokesman, said the country "supports the early resumption of Geneva talks on the Syrian issue", and calls for the Syrian government and the opposition parties to work out a political solution that takes into account reasonable concerns by all parties.

He said China hopes all relevant parties will strictly implement the UN Security Council's Resolution 2254 and the fruits obtained in the fourth foreign ministers' meeting of the International Syria Support Group, and "seriously implement ceasefire and cessation of violence", adding that China is willing to continue to contribute its due share to pushing for a political solution for the Syria issue.