China calls for lifting sanctions on Syria after the earthquake that hit the country

China calls on the US to completely lift sanctions on Syria, which caused a humanitarian disaster after the earthquake that hit the country, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a briefing on Monday.

"We urge the US government to set aside geopolitical calculations, immediately lift all illegal unilateral sanctions against Syria and stop artificially creating humanitarian disasters," said the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson.

Wang Wenbin also noted that the PRC will continue, along with other countries, to provide all necessary aid to earthquake-affected people in Syria and Turkey.

Earthquakes of magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 struck the Turkish province of Kahramanmaras on February 6, nine hours apart. The tremors, followed by hundreds of aftershocks, were felt in ten provinces of the country and neighboring states, of which Syria was most affected. The death toll in Turkey has exceeded 31,000 and around 7,000 buildings have collapsed.