Editorial 2: What a post-Assad Syria means for China

Context

The rebuilding of Syria’s army and government has created new security worries for China.

Introduction

Over the past two years, China has mostly supported Arab views on the Gaza issue. This included hosting Hamas and other Palestinian groups in Beijing to help with peace talks. As a result, China’s image in the Arab world has improved, and recent surveys show it is now more popular than the United States in the region. However, the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government in Syria has created a serious security concern for China. Under the new leadership of President Ahmed al-Sharaa, Uyghur militants are gaining more political ground in Damascus, which worries China.

Key Developments in Syria Involving Uyghur Militants

• Uyghur militants from the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), also called the Turkistan Islamic Party (TIP), have taken important roles in Syria’s new army.
• Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known earlier as Abu Mohammed al Jolani, became Syria’s leader without much resistance when his group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) entered Damascus.
• HTS has been active in the anti-Assad movement since the Arab Spring.
• Al Sharaa has previously been linked to both ISIS and al Qaeda, and later built his own support group.
• HTS gave shelter to fighters and ideological allies, including Uyghur militants.
• Uyghur fighters helped HTS in return, creating a safe base for themselves in Syria.

Historical Background: Uyghurs in Syrian Jihadist Landscape

Situation in 2025

• Syria’s army and government are being rebuilt.
• Forming a united army is harder than rebuilding political structures.
• Fighters loyal to Al Sharaa are being given top positions, regardless of nationality.
• Many former jihadists are now senior military leaders.
• Around 2,000 Uyghur fighters are believed to be part of the new Syrian military.
• Abdulaziz Dawood Khodaberdi, also known as Zahid, is a known Uyghur commander and former ETIM leader, now appointed to a high-ranking post.

China’s Security Concerns in Syria

• The rise of Uyghur militants to official military ranks in Syria creates a serious problem for China.
• China and Syria had friendly relations in the past, but this new development may cause tension.
• China had supported the U.S.-led ‘war on terror’ mainly to tackle its own concerns about Uyghur militants (ETIM).

ETIM and U.S.–China Dynamics

Impact of U.S.–China Rivalry

• The growing competition between the U.S. and China has weakened global counter-terror coordination.
• This has created more space for militant groups to operate freely around the world.

China's Approach vs. Syria's Approach

The western game plan

• The Chinese government has brought up this issue at the United Nations, as both Western and regional powers are quickly trying to build ties with Al Sharaa.
• The West is focusing on two main goals:
  • first, to bring some basic stability to war-torn Syria and prevent large-scale migration;
  • second, to keep Russia, Iran, and indirectly China, on the sidelines with as little influence as possible.
• These bigger political goals have led to former labeled terrorists being accepted as political leaders almost overnight.

Conclusion

The challenge for China's diplomacy continues in this region. One of the key players still actively involved in Syria is Israel. However, China and Israel have disagreed over China's position on Gaza and Palestine. On the Arab side, countries like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates — who earlier ignored China's actions in Xinjiang — have now accepted al Sharaa. This limits China's choices and forces it to rethink its strategy going forward.