"China is willing to make positive efforts to prevent further deterioration of the situation in Syria," foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said at a regular press conference.

Aleppo fell to an Islamist-dominated rebel alliance over the course of the last week, the first time it has slipped from government control since Syria's conflict began more than a decade ago, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor.

Syrian and Russian aircraft responded with deadly strikes in support of government forces on Sunday, according to the Britain-based Observatory.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also travelled to Damascus on Sunday to meet President Bashar al-Assad as the Syrian leader sought support from allies.

While Russia and Iran have been Syria's closest backers in recent years, China's ties to the country have grown.

In September 2023, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Assad announced a "strategic partnership" between their countries during the Syrian president's first visit to China since 2004.

That made China one of only a handful of countries outside the Middle East that Assad has visited since Syria's civil war began in 2011.

Xi told Assad that China supported Syria in "opposing foreign interference, opposing unilateral bullying, safeguarding national independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity," according to state media.

China's foreign minister Wang Yi again expressed support for Damascus in safeguarding national security when he met his Syrian counterpart in May.