Syria's future should be determined by Syrian people: Chinese envoy

The UN Security Council held an open meeting on the Syrian issue on Wednesday during which, Fu Cong, China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, called on the international community to allow the Syrian people to decide their country's future based on their will.

Noting that the current situation in Syria is at a critical stage and faces significant challenges, Fu emphasized that the international community should strengthen solidarity and coordinated action to support and assist Syria in achieving stability and development.

China supports advancing a "Syrian-led and Syrian-owned" political process. The international community must genuinely respect Syria's right to pursue a development path suited to its national conditions, allowing the Syrian people to determine their country's future based on their will.

"China has long pursued a policy of friendship and cooperation with Syria, not interfering in Syria's internal affairs. We are willing to work with the international community to continue efforts to help Syria achieve a smooth transition and gradually embark on the path of peaceful development," said Fu.

Noting that the Golan Heights is internationally recognized as occupied Syrian territory, Fu said that China reaffirms that Syria's sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity must be respected, and the Security Council's resolutions on the Golan Heights must be implemented.

Fu also emphasized that, regardless of how the domestic situation in Syria evolves, the bottom line of zero tolerance for terrorism cannot be changed.

Syria's future should be determined by Syrian people: Chinese envoy

Syria's future should be determined by Syrian people: Chinese envoy

Syria's future should be determined by Syrian people: Chinese envoy

Syria's future should be determined by Syrian people: Chinese envoy

The European Central Bank (ECB) announced on Thursday that it would slash key interest rates by 25 basis points in a bid to wind down the restrictive monetary policy.

Effective from March 12, the interest rates on the deposit facility, the main refinancing operations and the marginal lending facility will be decreased to 2.50 percent, 2.65 percent and 2.90 percent respectively, said the central bank in a statement.

The disinflation process is well on track, with headline inflation averaging 2.3 percent in 2025, 1.9 percent in 2026 and 2.0 percent in 2027, the ECB said.

The decision to keep on cutting rates came at a time when the economy in the eurozone is facing increasing uncertainties.

In its latest edition of the staff projections on Thursday, the ECB lowered its forecast for economic growth in the eurozone to 0.9 percent for 2025, 1.2 percent for 2026 and 1.3 percent for 2027.

This marks a downward revision from the ECB's forecast in December last year, which had projected 1.1 percent growth in 2025 and 1.4 percent in 2026, while the 2027 outlook remains unchanged.

The ECB attributed the weaker growth outlook for 2025 and 2026 to declining exports and sluggish investment, citing high trade policy uncertainty and broader economic instability as key factors.

ECB cuts interest rates by 25 basis points