On September 22, 2017 local time, Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Walid Muallem of Syria while attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Walid Muallem introduced the current situation in Syria, and said that positive progress has been made in cease-fire and the end of violence on the ground and the fight against terrorism has been promoted with success. The situation is obviously moving toward stability. Syria appreciates China's impartial stance on the Syrian issue for a long time and commends China's constructive role in pushing for peace and stability in Syria and in mitigating the humanitarian situation. Walid Muallem expected China's active participation in Syria's post-war reconstruction process. Syria treasures its traditional friendship with China, welcomes and supports the "Belt and Road" initiative and is willing to actively participate in its joint construction so as to pursue more practical results from bilateral cooperation.

Wang Yi stated that China has always held that the Syrian issue should be resolved by political means following the principle of Syrian-owned and Syrian-led. With emerging of the positive changes in the Syrian situation recently, the settlement of the issue is embracing an important opportunity. He expressed the hope that the Syrian government and various factions in Syria can accelerate the process of political settlement under the framework of the UN and strive for the early restoration of stability in the country's domestic situation.

Wang Yi said that Syria is an important node in the ancient Silk Road and that the "Belt and Road" construction can serve as an important opportunity for bilateral cooperation in future. China welcomes Syria's active participation in the "Belt and Road" construction and stands ready to carry out cooperation with Syria within this framework for the sake of common development.