China Proposes New Syria Plan

Calls for Transitional Government Body

The Chinese government has presented a new plan to end the ongoing Syrian Civil War, presenting the plan yesterday to UN Special Envoy Lakhdar Brahimi, who is clearly open to suggestion after last week’s Eid al-Adha ceasefire collapsed.

The Chinese plan calls for the establishment of a “transitional” government and for both sides to agree to a ceasefire in several phases, taking a region-by-region approach to ending the escalating violence.

Chinese officials say the proposal is a continuation of their stance that a political transition, and not a violent internationally-backed civil war, is the preferred vehicle for regime change in the nation.

China has stood with Russia on most UN resolutions on Syria, opposition NATO calls for resolutions that could potentially lead to foreign invasion. Western officials have yet to comment on the prospect of the new Chinese plan, though it will likely have some sort from the Syrian government simply because they need continued Chinese support diplomatically.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.