US sanctions hindered rescue window for Syria: foreign ministry

China on Monday urged the US government to put aside geopolitical scheming, lift its unilateral sanctions against Syria and stop creating artificial humanitarian disasters.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks at a regular press briefing when asked to comment on the 180-day relaxation of US sanctions on transactions limited to the relief needs of the Syrian earthquake.

The US should immediately lift all the sanctions "instead of making a political show of temporary easing," Wang said.

"After the earthquake, the unilateral sanctions of the US directly hindered the golden 72-hour rescue period in Syria, which made the local disaster worse," he said.

For years the US has imposed military intervention and illegal unilateral sanctions on Syria, severely aggravating the economic crisis and weakening the government's ability to cope with disasters, the ministry spokesperson said.

"We urge the US government to put aside its geopolitical calculations, immediately lift all illegal unilateral sanctions against Syria and stop creating artificial humanitarian disasters," Wang said.

"As Syrian sources have said, the US is all about politics, not humanity," he said.

(Compiled by Yu Dian)