A Chinese envoy on a visit to Syria has called on all sides to end the violence.
Zhai Jun has expressed Chinese support for the government’s plan to hold a referendum on the constitution on February 26.
However, the opposition has called for a boycott of the referendum and rejected the plans for as long as violence was still ongoing.
"The position of China is to call on the government, the opposition and the rebels to halt acts of violence immediately." said Zhai Jun.
"We hope that the referendum on a new constitution as well as the forthcoming parliamentary elections pass off calmly."
Mr Zhai said he hoped "calm [can] be restored as quickly as possibly, as that serves the interests of the Syrian people".
One of the leading opposition groups, the National Coordination Committee for Democratic Change, said it was "impossible for us to take part in this referendum before a stop to the violence and killings".
China was one of 12 countries, including Russia and Iran, which voted against a resolution, calling for an end to violence, passed by the UN General Assembly earlier this week.
137 countries supported the resolution while 17 countries, including Sri Lanka, abstained.
