China exercises veto power in UN Security Council to uphold international justice: envoy

A Chinese envoy on Monday elaborated on China's resolute stance on the use of veto power in the UN Security Council, particularly regarding a draft resolution on March 22, emphasizing the imperative to uphold international justice.

Addressing the UN General Assembly meeting debating the use of veto power in the Security Council, Dai Bing, the charge d'affaires of China's permanent mission to the United Nations, explained why China, together with Algeria and Russia, firmly opposed on March 22 a U.S.-proposed draft resolution on Gaza. He highlighted the necessity of "upholding international justice, the purposes and dignity of the UN Charter, and the responsibility and authority of the Security Council."

Dai conveyed the collective aspiration for peace that had been echoing across the international community since the onset of the Gaza conflict.

"Since the outbreak of the Gaza conflict, the international community has been calling overwhelmingly for a ceasefire and an end to the fighting, urgently expecting the Security Council to take concrete actions," he said.

He criticized the United States for its repeated obstructions to a ceasefire and for its draft resolution, which he said was evasive on the ceasefire issue and attempted to manipulate the Security Council to endorse Washington's erroneous policies by setting preconditions for a ceasefire.

"The U.S. draft resolution deviates from the consensus of the council members and runs counter to the expectations of the international community. If adopted, it will mean that the killings in Gaza will continue. It will mean that the vicious act of violating international law and international humanitarian law will continue," the ambassador stressed.

China's unwavering exercise of its veto power was portrayed by Dai as a principled stand for justice, compelling the United States to recognize its inability to further hinder the council's progress towards peace. "China has no hesitation in exercising its veto against a draft resolution that will have such serious consequences. As a permanent member of the Security Council, China has stepped up to shoulder its responsibilities and won the broad support of the international community."

"Facts have proven that it was because of China and relevant countries' adherence to principles, justice, and resolute exercise of vetoes that the United States has eventually realized that it cannot and is no longer able to continue to stop the Security Council from moving in the right direction and taking crucial steps," he stressed.

Dai highlighted the subsequent adoption of resolution 2728, which called for an immediate ceasefire, as a pivotal moment enabled by China's resolute stance.

The ambassador underscored the binding nature of Security Council resolutions, particularly Resolution 2728, which demands an immediate ceasefire.

He voiced disbelief and criticism toward the United States' claim that the resolution was "non-binding," stressing that such a stance undermined the council's authority and credibility.

Dai's address further encompassed a call to action, urging Israel to cease military aggression and lift the blockade on Gaza and urging the United States to shoulder its responsibilities as a permanent member of the Security Council.

He also expressed deep concern over the recent airstrikes on Iranian diplomatic premises in Syria, condemning the violation of international law and warning of the risk it poses to regional stability.

Concluding his remarks, Dai revisited the core issue of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict: the unfulfilled two-state solution.

He reaffirmed China's support for Palestine's membership in the United Nations and urged swift action from the Security Council on this matter.

The UN General Assembly on April 26, 2022, adopted a resolution that allows it to convene automatically when a veto is cast in the Security Council. The resolution stipulates that the president of the General Assembly shall convene a formal meeting of the assembly within 10 working days of the casting of a veto by one or more permanent members of the Security Council to hold a debate on the situation, provided that the assembly does not meet in an emergency special session on the same situation.

(Cover: The United Nations headquarters in New York, U.S., July 24, 2024. /CFP)