China's UN envoy calls out US' 'political virus'

China's ambassador to the United Nations called on the US to stop abusing the international platform for the spread of "political virus" and to "behave like a major power" in promoting international cooperation against global challenges.

"China resolutely opposes and rejects the baseless accusations by the US. For quite a while, some US politicians have been obsessed with attacking other countries and UN bodies," said Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the UN, during a virtual Security Council (UNSC) meeting on global governance amid the COVID-19 pandemic on Thursday. His views were echoed by Russia's UN envoy, as well.

"Abusing the platform of the UN and its Security Council, the US has been spreading political virus and disinformation and creating confrontation and division. Such practice cannot defeat the virus. On the contrary, it has seriously disrupted the joint efforts of the international community to fight the pandemic," the envoy added.

The summit-level debate was held during the General Assembly's high-level meetings. It was attended by world leaders, including Wang Yi, China's state councilor and minister for foreign affairs. UN Secretary-General António Guterres and chairperson of the African Union Commission MoussaFakiMahamat briefed at the session.

According to a concept note by Niger, which convened the meeting in its capacity as president of the UNSCfor September, the conference's aim is "to discuss further the need for global governance reform to strengthen convergence towards sustainable global peace and security."

In her remarks, Kelly Craft, the US permanent representative to the UN, echoed US President Donald Trump's call at Tuesday's General Debate to hold China accountable for the novel coronavirus outbreak, which was first identified in Wuhan. She also described the World Health Organization (WHO) as a "corrupted international organization".

In response, Zhang said Craft's remarks were "at odds with the atmosphere of the meeting" during which a vast majority of Security Council members called for upholding multilateralism and strengthening solidarity and cooperation.

Following Zhang's rebuttal, Vassily Nebenzia, Russia's permanent representative to the UN, also voiced opposition and concerns to the "groundless accusations" by the American ambassador.

"We regret that the representative of the United States has chosen this event and the Security Council platform to throw groundless accusations at a UNSC member-state, and, for that matter, at the entire Security Council at large. To be frank, we did not quite get the point and the pathos of those accusations," he said.

"The interdependence and interconnectedness of all states without exception in all spheres of public life is the most important thing that the crisis has brought to light," said Nebenzia, quoting Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who spoke earlier at the conference.

"A number of countries are increasingly tempted to look abroad to find those who are responsible for their problems at home. There are obvious attempts by individual states to use the current situation to promote self-serving and fleeting interests and to settle scores with unwanted governments or geopolitical rivals," he said.

Russia considers the frequent attacks on the UN system in general and its specialized agencies to be "absolutely unjustified", the ambassador said.

"This is primarily true of the World Health Organization. According to the overwhelming majority of countries, the WHO has acted professionally at all the stages of the crisis and has taken timely and effective proactive steps in close contact with all member states," he added.

In his briefing to the Security Council, Guterres said the COVID-19 pandemic is a clear test of international cooperation, "a test we have essentially failed", he warned.

He appealed to the countries to set aside their differences in the face of the pandemic, which he said has exposed gaps in the multilateral system.

"We have no choice. Either we come together in global institutions that are fit for purpose, or we will be crushed by divisiveness and chaos," the secretary-general said.

Noting that China has made its timeline of its response to the virus clear, Zhang stressed that the Chinese people had made great effort and sacrifice in defeating the coronavirus.

"The US should understand that its failure in handling COVID-19 is totally its own fault," the ambassador said.

"Before pointing fingers at others, perhaps the US politicians need to give honest answers to these questions. If someone should be held accountable, it should be a few US politicians themselves," Zhang said.

"What the US needs to do is stop the political manipulation, stop labeling or politicizing the virus, focus on combating the virus at home and support the UN and the WHO in playing their roles," the envoy said.

"The US always portrays itself as a 'force for good' and vows to play a leading role in global affairs. China, like many other countries, welcomes such efforts of the US to make contributions to world peace and progress of humanity," the ambassador said.

That said, a good leader must lead by example, Zhang remarked. For instance, a good leader should "be a model in following international law and fulfilling international obligations".