Assad says Syria facing 'economic siege'

President Bashar al-Assad said on Sunday Syria was suffering an "economic siege" as his regime faces a raft of international sanctions over the eight-year civil war."The war on Syria has taken on a new form that is basically siege and economic war," he said, according to a statement released by the presidency."International political tools have changed," he said, as he met Chinese assistant foreign minister Chen Xiaodong in Damascus.