Why Has China Abandoned the Syrian 'Regime Change' Illusion?

Chinese and Syrian businessmen set up their national flags during a meeting to discuss reconstruction projects in Syria, Beijing, China May 8, 2017. REUTERS/Jason Lee
Chinese and Syrian businessmen set up their national flags during a meeting to discuss reconstruction projects in Syria, Beijing, China May 8, 2017. REUTERS/Jason Lee
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Why Has China Abandoned the Syrian 'Regime Change' Illusion?

Chinese and Syrian businessmen set up their national flags during a meeting to discuss reconstruction projects in Syria, Beijing, China May 8, 2017. REUTERS/Jason Lee
Chinese and Syrian businessmen set up their national flags during a meeting to discuss reconstruction projects in Syria, Beijing, China May 8, 2017. REUTERS/Jason Lee

The plan that Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi proposed to President Bashar al-Assad on July 17 was the third presented by Beijing in the last decade of the Syrian war. It reflects the gradual decline of the political ceiling, from talks of a “transitional governing body” in 2012 to calls for the need to “abandon the illusion of regime change” in Syria in 2021.

A year after the eruption of the protests, in March 2012, China presented its first political initiative, which was conveyed to the late Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem by his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi.

The initiative included an immediate, comprehensive, and unconditional cessation of all acts of violence by the Syrian government and the concerned parties, and a direct launch of a comprehensive political dialogue, without preconditions or prejudgments, between the Syrian government and the various parties under the impartial mediation of UN envoy Kofi Annan, in addition to a leading role by the United Nations in coordinating humanitarian relief efforts, respect for Syria’s sovereignty, rejection of military intervention, and adherence to the principles of the United Nations Charter.

As for the second Chinese initiative, it came when Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi attended an international-regional meeting that resulted in the “Geneva Declaration” in June 2012, which approved the formation of a “transitional governing body” in Syria.

Back then, the Chinese minister focused on four points: First, adherence to a political solution through a realistic political dialogue; second, strong support for Special Envoy Kofi Annan’s mediation efforts; third, respect for the independent choice of the Syrian people; and fourth, balancing the urgency of a political solution to the Syrian issue with patience.

Beijing developed these ideas into a four-point initiative, presented in November 2012, which stipulated: First, to gradually stop violence and cooperate with the efforts of the new envoy, Al Akhdar al-Ibrahimi; second, each party appoints its representatives who, with the help of al-Ibrahimi and the relevant international community organizations, will work out a road map for a political transition, through extensive consultations conducted by a transitional council that embraces the largest possible proportion of the conflicting parties; third, supporting al-Ibrahimi’s efforts to make real progress in implementing the Geneva Communiqué; and fourth, calling on all parties to take concrete steps to alleviate the human suffering in Syria.

Beijing’s approval of a “political transition” came in parallel with the visit of Syrian opposition figures, including Abdulaziz al-Khair, a leader in the Coordination Body, who has been missing since October 2012, and high-ranking Chinese meetings with UN envoys.

After a ten-year absence from Syria and the use of the veto right in the Security Council along with the Russian ally, Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Damascus a few days ago and met with President al-Assad, who had just assumed his fourth presidential mandate.

Wang Yi presented his new quadripartite plan, which stipulated:

- First, respect for Syria’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity, respect for the choice that the Syrian people accepted, abandoning the illusion of regime change, and allowing the Syrian people to independently determine their future and the fate of their country.

- Second, giving priority to the interest and prosperity of the Syrian people, accelerating the reconstruction process, immediately lifting all unilateral sanctions, and ending the economic blockade imposed on Syria.

- Third, maintaining a consistent position on effectively combating terrorism. China holds that all terrorist organizations on the UN Security Council list should be eliminated, with a clear rejection of double standards.

- Fourth, encouraging a comprehensive political solution and reconciliation, through a Syrian-led settlement and addressing differences between all factions.

But why has Beijing abandoned the “illusion of regime change”? Many factors prompted China to return politically to Syria. Those include field changes, stability on the three “zones of influence”, the intervention of the armies of five countries, concerns over the collapse of the “Syrian state” and chaos and an exacerbation of the economic and living crisis. This comes in addition to the growing role of the “Turkistan Islamic Army,” which includes about 2,500 Chinese “Uighur” fighters, who are deployed in northwest Syria near the Russian Hmeimim base.

Another factor is the decline of America’s role in the region and the possibility of its withdrawal from Iraq and Syria, as well as China’s desire to consolidate the strategic memorandum of understanding it signed with Iran, which included military, economic and political aspects, and cooperation in the areas of reconstruction, railways, oil, and ports, and the reconstruction of Syria and Afghanistan.

There is no doubt that Damascus is betting on the Chinese role, especially in the field of reconstruction, due to the US and European sanctions and the growing economic crises in the country. But this raises many questions: Will Russia or Iran accept an economic role for China and its “social engineering” in Syria after the military intervention of Tehran since 2013 and Moscow since 2015? Can China assume a real economic and political role without its military tools or adventures in this region? Will Chinese companies accept contracts in “little Syria” and abandon global markets, amid Western sanctions and Caesar’s Act?

Will China cross the Syrian minefield by siding only with Damascus, without taking into account the positions of other players? Will Beijing include Syria in the “Belt and Road” initiative?



What to Know About the Flash Floods in Texas That Killed over 100 People

 Firefighters from Ciudad Acuña, Mexico, transport a recovered body on the flooded Guadalupe River days after a flash flood swept through the area, Monday, July 7, 2025, in Ingram, Texas. (AP)
Firefighters from Ciudad Acuña, Mexico, transport a recovered body on the flooded Guadalupe River days after a flash flood swept through the area, Monday, July 7, 2025, in Ingram, Texas. (AP)
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What to Know About the Flash Floods in Texas That Killed over 100 People

 Firefighters from Ciudad Acuña, Mexico, transport a recovered body on the flooded Guadalupe River days after a flash flood swept through the area, Monday, July 7, 2025, in Ingram, Texas. (AP)
Firefighters from Ciudad Acuña, Mexico, transport a recovered body on the flooded Guadalupe River days after a flash flood swept through the area, Monday, July 7, 2025, in Ingram, Texas. (AP)

Flash floods in Texas killed at least 100 people over the Fourth of July holiday weekend and left others still missing, including girls attending a summer camp. The devastation along the Guadalupe River, outside of San Antonio, has drawn a massive search effort as officials face questions over their preparedness and the speed of their initial actions.

Here's what to know about the deadly flooding, the colossal weather system that drove it in and around Kerr County, Texas, and ongoing efforts to identify victims.

Massive rain hit at just the wrong time, in a flood-prone place

The floods grew to their worst at the midpoint of a long holiday weekend when many people were asleep.

The Texas Hill Country in the central part of the state is naturally prone to flash flooding due to the dry dirt-packed areas where the soil lets rain skid along the surface of the landscape instead of soaking it up. Friday's flash floods started with a particularly bad storm that dropped most of its 12 inches (30 centimeters) of rain in the dark early morning hours.

After a flood watch notice midday Thursday, the National Weather Service office issued an urgent warning around 4 a.m. that raised the potential of catastrophic damage and a severe threat to human life. By at least 5:20 a.m., some in the Kerrville City area say water levels were getting alarmingly high. The massive rain flowing down hills sent rushing water into the Guadalupe River, causing it to rise 26 feet (8 meters) in just 45 minutes.

Death toll is expected to rise and the number of missing is uncertain

In Kerr County, home to youth camps in the Texas Hill Country, searchers have found the bodies of 75 people, including 27 children, Sheriff Larry Leitha said Monday morning. Fatalities in nearby counties brought the total number of deaths to 94 as of Monday afternoon.

Ten girls and a counselor were still unaccounted for at Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp along the river.

For past campers, the tragedy turned happy memories into grief.

Beyond the Camp Mystic campers unaccounted for, the number of missing from other nearby campgrounds and across the region had not been released.

Gov. Greg Abbott on Sunday had said that there were 41 people confirmed to be unaccounted for across the state and more could be missing.

Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice said during a Monday news conference he couldn't give an estimate of the number of people still missing, only saying “it is a lot.”

Officials face scrutiny over flash flood warnings

Survivors have described the floods as a “pitch black wall of death” and said they received no emergency warnings.

Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly, who lives along the Guadalupe River, said Saturday that “nobody saw this coming.” Officials have referred to it as a “100-year-flood,” meaning that the water levels were highly unlikely based on the historical record.

And records behind those statistics don’t always account for human-caused climate change. Though it’s hard to connect specific storms to a warming planet so soon after they occur, meteorologists say that a warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture and allow severe storms to dump even more rain.

Additionally, officials have come under scrutiny about why residents and youth summer camps along the river were not alerted sooner than 4 a.m. or told to evacuate.

Rice said Monday that he did not immediately know if there had been any communication between law enforcement and the summer camps between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. on Friday. But Rice said various factors, including spotty cell service in some of the more isolated areas of Kerr County and cell towers that might have gone out of service during the weather, could have hindered communication.

Rice said officials want to finish the search and rescue and then review possible issues with cell towers, radios and emergency alerts.

Officials noted that the public can grow weary from too many flooding alerts or forecasts that turn out to be minor.

Kerr county officials said they had presented a proposal for a more robust flood warning system, similar to a tornado warning system, but that members of the public reeled at the cost.

Monumental clearing and rebuilding effort

The flash floods have erased campgrounds and torn homes from their foundations.

"It’s going to be a long time before we’re ever able to clean it up, much less rebuild it," Kelly said Saturday after surveying the destruction from a helicopter.

Other massive flooding events have driven residents and business owners to give up, including in areas struck last year by Hurricane Helene.

President Donald Trump said he would likely visit the flood zone on Friday.

AP photographers have captured the scale of the destruction, and one of Texas' largest rescue and recovery efforts.