China supports the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and related UN entities in carrying out comprehensive, objective and fair investigations into the use of chemical weapons in Syria, a Chinese diplomat said on Wednesday.

Liu Jieyi, China's permanent representative to the UN, made the remarks at a Security Council emergency meeting on the alleged chemical weapon attack in Syria.

It is reported that at least 70 people were killed, and 200 others were wounded Tuesday in a gas attack in a rebel-held area of Syria's northwestern province of Idlib.

"China firmly opposes the use of chemicals as weapons by any country, any organization or any person under any circumstances," said Liu. "We strongly condemn any attacks against civilians."

"It is essential to hold to account all the related perpetrators and responsible parties in cases of chemical weapons," he added.

Liu reiterated China’s position that a political solution is the only way to resolve the Syrian crisis. “It is the hope of China that all the parties will create conditions for the political settlement rather than creating trouble or difficulties,” he said. 

‍The US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, held up grim pictures from the attack. "We can’t close our eyes," she said.

“We don’t yet know everything about yesterday’s attack but there are many things we do know. We know yesterday’s attack bears all the hallmarks of the Assad regime's use of chemical weapons,” Haley said.

It was an emotional emergency session; pictures of men, women and children struggling for breath, some foaming at the mouth, are shocking the world.

An emotional British ambassador pointed his finger in the direction of his Russian counterpart – and asked, “What’s your plan? It doesn’t look like terrorism to me. It looks like the work of Assad!”

“Those consequences are painted on the stricken faces of the children ... killed by a regime that will stop at nothing,” added Matthew Rycroft, British Ambassador to the UN.

The Russian responded by looking his accuser directly in the eye.

“You’re not doing anything about the situation … you are doing one thing, you are submitting drafts in the Security Council that only provoke and you’re putting unilateral pressure on the joint investigative mechanism without even hiding and trying to pressure to produce facts that you need,” said Vladimir Safronkov, Deputy Russian Ambassador to the UN.

Most Western governments said they suspected the government of Bashar al-Assad was behind the use of chemicals in Khan Sheikhoun in Syria’s Idlib Province.

Both Damascus and ally Russia deny it, citing an opposition chemical arms dump that got bombed as the cause.

The 15-nation council is working on a draft resolution calling for an inquiry into the attack.

However, due to disagreements among Security Council members, more time is needed for negotiations on the text before it is put to a vote.

(Source: Xinhua; CGTN America)