China blasts US veto on UN Security Council draft resolution over Gaza

UNITED NATIONS - A Chinese envoy on Wednesday blasted the United States for its veto on a Security Council draft resolution that would have demanded an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the lifting of restrictions on humanitarian aid.

China is deeply disappointed by the result of Wednesday's vote, said Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the United Nations. The draft resolution reflects the most pressing demands of the people in Gaza and the overwhelming voice of the international community, he added.

"The United States has once again abused its veto power, extinguishing the glimmer of hope for the people in Gaza and ruthlessly continuing to leave over 2 million people in darkness. It must face the questioning from the international community," he said.

As the primary body for the maintenance of international peace and security, the Security Council has been striving to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza, and has long reached an overwhelming consensus. Wednesday's vote result once again exposes that the root cause of the council's inability to quell the conflict in Gaza is the repeated obstruction by the United States, said Fu in an explanation of the vote.

Washington has vetoed the Security Council's request for a Gaza ceasefire multiple times. And because of its shielding of Israel, several resolutions adopted by the council on Gaza have yet to be effectively implemented, he noted.

The US claim that Security Council action at the moment would interfere with diplomatic efforts is completely untenable, he said. "As long as diplomatic efforts are genuinely aimed for peace, the council's action will only provide strong support."

The international community will never cease its efforts to pursue fairness and justice, uphold the international rule of law, and safeguard the authority of the Security Council. A veto by a single permanent member cannot stop the march toward peace, he said. "We urge the United States to face up to its responsibilities as a permanent member of the Security Council, abandon its political calculations, and adopt a just and responsible attitude in supporting the council to take all necessary actions."

Since the outbreak of the conflict, the world has witnessed the weaponization of humanitarian aid, the targeting of civilian infrastructure, and the ruthless killing of journalists and humanitarian workers. Israel's actions have crossed every red line of international humanitarian law and seriously violated Security Council and General Assembly resolutions, as well as the provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice, said Fu.

Yet due to the shielding by one certain country, these violations have not been stopped or held accountable, he noted.

Observing international humanitarian law is an obligation. Any double standards or selective application will only erode the foundation of the international rule of law and must be firmly rejected, he warned.

China stands ready to work with the international community to help end the conflict in Gaza, alleviate the humanitarian disaster, implement the two-state solution, and ultimately achieve a comprehensive, just, and lasting solution to the Palestinian question, said Fu.