BEIJING - Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said Thursday that China will not attend the Friends of Syria conference to be held Friday in Tunisia.

Hong said China is not prepared to attend the conference as China needs to further study the aim, effect and mechanism of the conference and it has no idea of the preparations of the conference.

China is a friend of the Syrian and Arab peoples, Hong said.

"China supports all efforts that are conducive to peacefully and properly resolving the Syrian issue," Hong said, adding that China hopes to work with all concerned parties to play a positive and constructive role in the process.

China believes that any action taken by the international community should help to cease tensions, boost political dialogues, resolve differences and maintain peace and stability in the Middle East, Hong said.