China’s Xi hosts Syria's Assad in Hangzhou

China’s President Xi Jinping on Friday hosted his visiting Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad.

The meeting between the two leaders is being held in Hangzhou, capital of the eastern Zhejiang province, state-run media reported.

Assad arrived in China on Thursday for an official visit at the invitation of Xi, the first such visit in nearly two decades.

He will also attend the opening ceremony of the 19th Asian Games, which is being hosted in Hangzhou.

The last time he visited China was in 2004, to meet then-President Hu Jintao.

This is his first visit to China since the Syrian civil war broke out more than 12 years ago. During the war, Syria had a relatively low level of international engagement, but in recent years that has started to change.

Assad is accompanied on the visit by first lady Asma al-Assad. The Syrian delegation will also visit the capital Beijing.