China urges Israeli withdrawal, inclusive political transition in Syria

China has called for an inclusive political transition, resolute counterterrorism efforts and a development‑first strategy in Syria, while urging Israel's immediate withdrawal from occupied Syrian territory.

Speaking at a United Nations Security Council debate on Syria on Tuesday, Sun Lei, Charge d'Affaires of China's Permanent Mission to the UN, said an early restoration of peace and stability in Syria would help ease tensions across the wider Middle East.

"An early and full restoration of peace and stability in Syria will help cool the overall tensions across the Middle East, serve the collective interests of all nations in the region, and meet the broad expectations of the international community," said Sun.

He stressed that the Golan Heights is internationally recognized as occupied Syrian territory, calling for Israel to immediately cease its military actions inside Syria and withdraw its forces from Syrian territory.

"The Golan Heights is internationally recognized as occupied Syrian territory. Israel must immediately cease all its military actions inside Syria and withdraw its forces from Syrian territory as soon as possible. Civilians and civilian infrastructure must never be targeted under any circumstances," the Chinese representative said.

Sun outlined three pillars for restoring peace and stability in Syria.

"An inclusive political transition is the essential bedrock for restoring peace and stability in Syria. Combating terrorism in all its forms is a key prerequisite for restoring peace and stability in Syria. A focused push for development is the fundamental solution for restoring peace and stability in Syria. China stands ready to work with the international community to play a constructive role in helping Syria achieve security, stability, and development at an early date," Sun said.

The meeting came as senior UN officials told the Security Council that Syria's political transition had reached an important institutional milestone with the establishment of a People's Assembly and Constitutional Supreme Court, while warning that continued insecurity, Israeli military activity and a severely underfunded humanitarian response threaten the country's delicate progress.

A high, hilly plateau located in southwestern Syria, the Golan Heights was captured by Israel in 1967 and later annexed in 1981. UN Security Council Resolution 497, unanimously adopted in December 1981, explicitly declares Israel's annexation of the Golan Heights "null and void and without international legal effect".

China urges Israeli withdrawal, inclusive political transition in Syria

Falling water levels on the Danube River, driven by persistent heat, are disrupting Serbia's grain exports along the key shipping route.

The Vojvodina Province in northern Serbia, a crucial grain-producing area for the country, has been particularly hard hit. As the Danube shrinks, ships are being forced to reduce their loads to stay afloat, driving up transportation costs and squeezing profit margins for farmers and exporters.

"Today, the water level at the monitoring station in Novi Sad stood at minus 44 centimeters. Normally, it should be around 150 centimeters this time of year. So the river is now roughly two meters lower than usual. This has created significant shipping difficulties. Some sections of the river have become nearly impassable, forcing ships to reduce their loads just to get through," said Bozidar Belos, advisor to the director of public water management company Vode Vojvodine.

Serbia's hydrometeorological department has warned that Danube water levels are expected to fall even further in the coming days.

To address the crisis, Serbia is working with neighboring countries on dredging the river and building sluices and dams to ease pressures on both navigation and irrigation.

Danube water levels plunge amid prolonged heatwave, threatening Serbia's grain exports