LONDON - Chinese state-controlled Sinochem and UK-listed explorer Gulfsands Petroleum have shut down their oil operations in Syria following European Union sanctions related to the crackdown on the uprising against the rule of President Bashar al-Assad, Gulfsands said.Although China has resisted sanctions on Syria, Sinochem is bound by EU sanctions since it bought its interest in the Syrian fields by taking over UK-listed Emerald Energy, through which it still owns the assets, a Gulfsands spokesman said on Monday.RELATED:'No substitute for US leadership on Syria''Syria behind attack on French troops in Lebanon' console.log("BODY2. CatId is:"+catID);if(catID==120){console.log("BODY. YES for anyclip script");document.getElementsByClassName("divConnatix")[0].style.display ="none";var script = document.createElement('script'); script.src = 'https://player.anyclip.com/anyclip-widget/lre-widget/prod/v1/src/lre.js'; script.setAttribute('pubname','jpostcom'); script.setAttribute('widgetname','0011r00001lcD1i_12258'); document.getElementsByClassName('divAnyClip')[0].appendChild(script);}else if(catID!=69 && catID!=2){console.log("BODY. YES for vidazoo script");document.getElementsByClassName("divConnatix")[0].style.display ="none"; var script = document.createElement('script'); script.src = 'https://static.vidazoo.com/basev/vwpt.js'; script.setAttribute('data-widget-id','60fd6becf6393400049e6535'); document.getElementsByClassName('divVidazoo')[0].appendChild(script); } Syrian state-controlled General Petroleum Corporation (GPC) will continue to produce oil from the fields, in exploration block 26, the company said in a statement.Analysts said the further development of the block would be delayed, postponing expected cashflows.The Syrian fields are the only cash-generating assets Gulfsands owns, save for a few small interests in the US which it is selling. However, a spokesman said it had $120 million on the balance sheet and no debt.The company said it would retain a presence in Syria.Sinochem declined immediate comment. Gulfsands shares, which have lost more than half their value so far in 2011, were down 7.9 percent at 171.5 pence by 0930 GMT.