The international community must stay engaged to ease the Syria crisis, said an article in People's Daily (excerpts below).

The US government accuses Syria of crossing a red line with its alleged use of chemical weapons.

The European Union has decided to lift its arms embargo on Syria.

Under these circumstances, it is necessary for the United Nations to launch an open and fair investigation into the use, if it has happened, of chemical weapons.

China firmly opposes any party using chemical weapons.

The Syria crisis has taken more than 90,000 lives and resulted in millions of refugees. It is no exaggeration to say that it could plunge the entire Middle East into crisis.

Any solution will require patience and resolve. China has always supported a political solution. The international community still has the potential to prevent a bigger tragedy from happening in Syria but it needs to act in a constructive manner.