China has called on the United States to end its illegal military presence in Syria and halt its alleged plundering of the country’s resources, following reports of U.S. troops smuggling Syrian wheat.
During a press briefing on Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning responded to allegations that U.S. military forces are using over 10 trucks daily to transport Syrian wheat out of the country. Mao emphasized that Syria, once a wheat exporter, now faces severe food insecurity, with approximately 55 percent of its population suffering from food shortages.
Mao criticized the U.S. for claiming to support human rights while, in reality, undermining Syria’s sovereignty and exploiting its resources under the pretext of anti-terrorism efforts. “The United States keeps talking about protecting human rights but violates people’s rights to subsistence and life in other countries,” Mao said.
She added, “While it claims to defend democracy, freedom, and prosperity, in reality, it is constantly creating humanitarian crises. The United States must earnestly respect Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and immediately cease the deployment of its military troops in Syria. It should stop plundering Syria’s national resources and take concrete actions to make up for the damage caused to the Syrian people.”
The comments from China come amid ongoing tensions between the two superpowers over international policies and humanitarian issues.
