China urges restraint post US strikes in Syria

By Fuat Kabakci

BEIJING (AA) - China has called for restraint in its first official statement following the U.S. strikes on a Syrian military base, the state-run Chinese news agency, Xinhua, reported Friday.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said: “China called on all sides to prevent the deterioration of the situation in order to ensure the political solution in the Syria crisis.”

The U.S. fired 59 Tomahawk missiles from two destroyers in the eastern Mediterranean and hit a Syrian air base at approximately 3.45 a.m. Syrian local time Friday (0045GMT).

The strikes were billed as a response to Tuesday’s chemical attack allegedly carried out by the Bashar al-Assad regime warplanes that left more than 100 civilians reportedly killed and 500 others -- mostly children -- injured in the town of Khan Shaykhun, Idlib province.

The Assad regime, for its part, denied allegations it targeted the area with chemical weapons.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said: “China condemned the chemical attacks carried out in Syria recently and supports the United Nations in launching an independent investigation.”

She added China always opposes the use of chemical weapons by any country, organization or person for whatever purposes.

- Japan backs US

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told the media Friday Japan understands and supports the U.S. strategy in Syria.

"We understand that the action taken by the United States was a measure to prevent the situation from worsening further.

"The Japanese government supports the U.S. government’s determination never to tolerate the further spread and use of chemical weapons," he added.

- Indonesia urges refrain from violence

Indonesian Foreign Ministry spokesman Arrmanatha Nasir told reporters on Friday: "All related parties should refrain from violence and protect human rights.

"Indonesia as a signatory to the chemical weapons convention refuses the chemical weapons usage for whatever reasons," he added.