China is willing to maintain contact and communication with all relevant parties in Syria, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said at a press briefing on Thursday.

Hong made the remarks when asked to comment on the Friends of Syria meeting held in Morocco on Wednesday, which recognized the National Coalition for the Opposition Forces formed by Syrian opposition groups in Qatar in early November as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people.

"We noticed the reports," Hong said. "China maintains that Syria's future and destiny should be decided by the Syrian people on their own and that the country's top priority should be to seek a ceasefire and stop the violence,"

He said that a political transition process led by the Syrian people should be launched and pushed forward as soon as possible in order to achieve a just, peaceful and appropriate resolution.

Hong called on the international community to play a positive and constructive role in helping relevant parties work towards the goals.