The two countries have agreed to plan a joint project to construct an oil refinery in eastern Syria. In the first stage, China would determine the feasibility of the project.

Syrian officials said a contract would be signed after the feasibility study was carried out, Middle East Newsline reported. They said the refinery, financed in part by China National Petroleum Corp., would have the capacity to process 70,000 barrels of crude oil per day.

"Oil field cooperation is a crucial component [of cooperation] between Syria and China," he said.