China on Tuesday, March 29 appointed its first special envoy for the Syrian crisis, a career diplomat who has served as ambassador to Iran, as it seeks a more active role in the Middle East, Reuters reports.

The new special envoy for Syria is Xie Xiaoyan, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a daily news briefing. He was most recently China's ambassador to Ethiopia and the African Union.

"As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China has always proactively dedicated itself to the appropriate resolution of the Syria issue," Hong said, adding that a political solution was the only way out.

China supports the mediation efforts of UN Syria special envoy Staffan de Mistura and has provided humanitarian assistance to the region, Hong said, according to Reuters.

China's appointment of its own special envoy is to help push the peace process and "to better proactively put forward China's wisdom" and its proposals, he added.

Xie, 62, is a deeply experienced diplomat very familiar with the Middle East, Hong said.

"We believe he will certainly fulfill this mission well."