The unrest in Syria would not be on the agenda at next week's G20 summit in Mexico, where the discussions would focus on the lingering financial crisis, Deputy Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai said yesterday.
He told a press conference in Beijing that China would push for discussion on helping developing countries at the two-day summit starting on Monday.
China and Russia, regarded as Syria's main allies, previously vetoed two UN Security Council resolutions that threatened possible sanctions against Damascus for its handling of the unrest. The two countries also issued a joint statement following talks in Beijing last week saying they opposed outside military interference and imposing 'regime change' in Syria through the UN.
Cui said the G20 summit was not the appropriate platform to discuss the issue. 'The situation in Syria is of concern to everyone in the world,' he said. 'But the G20 is a platform for global economic governance and so far we have not seen political and security issues on the agenda. I think that is a proper arrangement.'
President Hu Jintao will visit Denmark on Thursday, with the two countries expected to sign economic and trade deals, before heading to Mexico for the summit.
Cui said the financial crisis in the United States and Europe would top the summit's agenda, and that China would push for reform of the International Monetary Fund to increase the representation of emerging markets.