BEIJING, Oct. 10 -- China has believed that Syria's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity must be respected and safeguarded, a foreign ministry spokesperson said Thursday.

Spokesperson Geng Shuang made the remarks at a press briefing when commenting on Turkey's military operations in northeastern Syria.

All parties are concerned about the possible consequences of Turkey's military action and urge the Turkish side to exercise self-restraint, the spokesperson said.

Noting that political settlement of the Syrian issue has risen recently, Geng said relevant parties of the international community should make joint efforts to create favorable conditions for the political solution of the Syrian issue and avoid adding new complicated factors to the current situation.