Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Friday urged the US to immediately stop its illegal military presence and looting in Syria and lift illegal unilateral sanctions, stop making and exacerbating man-made humanitarian crisis in the country.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning made the remarks at a routine press briefing when asked to comment on US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley's visit to American bases in northeastern Syria where he tied the deployment of US troops to the security of the US and its allies. 

Syria's foreign ministry Sunday condemned the visit as "a flagrant violation of the sovereignty and integrity" of Syrian territory and called on the US government to "immediately cease its systematic and continued violation of international law and support for separatist armed groups."

The US House of Representatives on Wednesday voted down a bill to withdraw US troops from Syria. 

Mao  said the US' military operations that had illegally intervened in the Syrian crisis have resulted in deaths of a large number of innocent civilians and a serious humanitarian disaster. The United Nations' Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria has repeatedly criticized the US military for launching indiscriminate attacks, which may constitute war crimes, Mao said.

The Syrian crisis is about to enter its 13th year. At least 350,000 people have lost their lives, and 14 million people are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. However, the US still believes that it is too early to withdraw its troops and has no intention of ending its illegal military presence in Syria.

Mao called on the US to earnestly respect the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of other countries, stop its illegal military presence and looting, lift illegal unilateral sanctions, and to stop making and exacerbating a man-made humanitarian crisis.  

Global Times