TRIPOLI, Aug. 23 (Xinhua) -- Libya hopes China will play a bigger role in helping heal its political division and promote economic development, Libyan officials and experts have said.
"The Libyans welcome any international assistance, especially from China, which has important ties with Libya at the level of development, trade exchange and supporting the economy," Ali Suweih, a member of Libya's Supreme Council of State, told Xinhua.
Suweih hailed China's stance on Libya's issue, which he said is "different from the others" as China respects Libya's sovereignty and supports the solution of Libyan issue only through dialogue and political agreement.
He was commenting on the four principles on resolving the Libyan issue that were outlined by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his meeting with his Tunisian counterpart Khemaies Jhinaoui last month in Beijing, the Chinese capital.
Wang highlighted the need to respect Libya's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and to uphold the general direction of political settlement through dialogue and negotiations among all parties.
The top Chinese diplomat also called for measures to prevent Libya from becoming another Syria which has been torn by a six-year civil war.
Wang also said that it is important to listen to the views of Libya's neighbors in order to find a long-term solution to the Libyan crisis.
Ahmad Langi, another member of Libya's Supreme Council of State, said he agreed with the Chinese foreign minister.
"Libya's security means security of the neighboring countries. Libya's sovereignty is very important and we hope China would play a bigger role in Libya, given China's international stance," Langi told Xinhua.
With two rival parliaments, namely the internationally recognized one based in the eastern port city of Tobruk, and General National Congress based in the capital city Tripoli, Libya is seeing its political situation improving, though very slowly.
In July, heads of the rival parliaments met in Paris as Libya's UN-backed Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj and Marshal Khalifa Haftar, commander of the rival Libyan National Army, reached a ceasefire deal and pledged to work together for a sustainable political solution to the civil war.
At the same time, Islamic State (IS) militants have suffered from repeated losses recently, including their defeats in Derna, Sabrata, Benghazi and Sirte.
Ali Abu-Sitta, a member of the Misurata Municipal Council, said that the warning about Libya's division "remains grounded and true."
"Politicians in Libya should recognize the danger of continuing the division that makes the country an arena and a prey for terrorists," he told Xinhua.
Faraj Abdul-Malik, a member of House of Representatives, told Xinhua that China as a country with remarkable influence can help by supporting Libya's economic development.
"This certainly could contribute to alleviating the current international polarization, and make Libyans feel that development is going well and the war and fighting have no place," Abdul-Malik said.
"We hope that China would give greater support to the government of national accord and show greater interest in Libya," he added.
Mohamed Al-Asfar, head of the Akadimion media institution, also expected China to play a bigger role in Libya as a honest mediator, because China doesn't support one party over the another in Libya.
"Beijing has strong tools to push the Libyan issue toward a comprehensive solution and settlement," Al-Asfar told Xinhua.
He said the help can start from supporting Libya's economic development, in line with Libya's huge reserves of oil and shale gas, to provide more housing and rebuild its tourism.
Al-Asfar added that China's actual moves in Libya might also prod Europe to fulfill many of its delayed promises to help Libya.
