Syria Spectrum
Syria Spectrum
The Syria Spectrum is a monthly podcast delivering concise, policy-relevant analysis on contemporary Syrian affairs, produced in collaboration with the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy (TIMEP) and in partnership with the Change for Syria Network (C4S).
Episode 2: Beijing's Syria Calculus: Assessing Sino-Syrian Relations Post-Assad with Jesse Marks
China’s decade-long strategy in Syria was built around Bashar al-Assad — and when he fell in December 2024, Beijing was left reassessing its assumptions, its risks, and its future in the Levant. Today, China and Syria’s new leadership stand at a crossroads, navigating counterterrorism concerns, reconstruction demands, and a regional environment increasingly shaped by Gulf diplomacy, Russian mediation, and U.S.–China competition.
In this episode, we explore the historical foundations of Sino–Syrian relations, China’s role throughout the conflict, its UN veto strategy, and the security concerns that continue to drive Beijing’s calculus — particularly Uighur and Central Asian fighters entrenched in Idlib.
We then assess how China has adapted since Assad’s fall, what Beijing is seeking from the new government, and why Syria’s expected diplomatic visit to Beijing later this month could mark a pivotal moment for reconstruction, sanctions relief, and political normalization.
Featuring analysis from Jesse Marks, CEO & Managing Director of Rihla Research & Advisory.
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Episode 1: Choice or Illusion: Unpacking Syria's Parliamentary Elections with Mutasem Al-Syoufi
Syria’s October 2025 parliamentary elections were presented as a milestone in the country’s political transition, the first to take place since the fall of Bashar al-Assad. Yet beneath the language of reform, the process remained tightly managed, reflecting familiar patterns of control and limited participation. The elections ultimately raised a fundamental question: were they a genuine exercise of choice or an illusion of it? In our first episode, Mutasem Al-Syoufi of The Day After (TDA) unpacks what the vote truly delivered and what it reveals about the trajectory of Syria’s political transition. Expert Guest: A long-time advocate for democratic reform, Mutasem has been active in Syria’s civic and political landscape since the early 2000s, taking part in the Damascus Spring and Damascus Declaration movements. Under his leadership, TDA has become a leading organisation advancing Syria’s democratic transition, supporting electoral governance, training local councils, and providing technical assistance to the Syrian Supreme Elections Committee for the October 2025 parliamentary elections to promote transparency, inclusivity, and credible participation.