China has welcomed the UN special envoy's visit to Syria and wishes him a positive trip, a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said on Tuesday.

At a daily press conference, Hua Chunying said, "China appreciates and supports the active efforts made by special envoy [Lakhdar] Brahimi. We will pay close attention to his visit and look forward to positive results."

The comments were made as Brahimi, UN-Arab League joint special envoy to Syria, arrived in the country to talk with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

"China is gravely concerned about the Syrian situation," Hua said, urging all Syrian parties to take into account its people's fundamental and long-term interests and "take actions to support Brahimi's mediation efforts."

She also called on both the Syrian Government and opposition to follow the consensus of the Action Group Geneva Communique on peacefully settling the Syrian issue, open inclusive political dialogue, negotiate and set the roadmap for political transition, establish a transitional body of broad representation, and put an early end to the Syrian crisis.

(Xinhua News Agency December 25, 2012)