A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Wednesday said that major countries should take the lead in respecting the authority of international law and fulfilling their international legal obligations.

Spokesperson Mao Ning made the remarks at a regular press briefing in response to a question about U.S. President Donald Trump's comments suggesting that international law is irrelevant to him and that only his own moral standards matter.

Mao said that international law, based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, forms the cornerstone of the current international order and serves as an important basis for resolving international disputes.

She stressed that safeguarding international law is essential to upholding international fairness and justice and preventing the world from reverting to the law of the jungle.

Major countries, Mao added, should set an example by respecting the authority of international law and honoring their international obligations.