Washington urged to comply with international law, change mindset
There is no exception or privilege for the United States in complying with international law, including United Nations Security Council resolutions, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on April 18.
It is hoped that the US will drop its sense of superiority and heed the voices of the international community, Wang said, adding that it is time for US officials to brush up on their basic knowledge of international law.
Wang made the remarks at a joint news conference with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi in Jakarta, Indonesia.
The Southeast Asian country was the first stop on Wang’s six-day trip abroad, which also took him to Cambodia and Papua New Guinea.
In response to a question on the UN’s role in calling for a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, Wang said that in the Gaza conflict, which has persisted for half a year, a rare humanitarian tragedy of the 21st century has unfolded.
The UN Security Council, in response to the calls of the international community, has continuously deliberated draft resolutions regarding a cease-fire in Gaza, and these were repeatedly vetoed by the US, Wang said.
UN Resolution 2728, which was adopted on March 25, demanded an immediate cease-fire in Gaza during the holy month of Ramadan, which ended on April 8. It was the first such resolution passed by the UN Security Council after Washington vetoed a number of others.
The resolution passed by a vote of 14-0, with the US abstaining and calling the resolution nonbinding.
The US “did not dare” to stand opposed to international morality and chose to abstain, Wang said.
However, the US claim that the resolution is nonbinding was quite surprising and again exposed its hegemonic mindset, he added.
In the eyes of the US, international law seems to be a tool that can be used whenever it is considered useful, and discarded if it is deemed unnecessary, Wang said.
As the core of a collective security mechanism, the Security Council should not be manipulated by certain countries as a geopolitical tool, and neither can it become a stage for power politics and hegemony to prevail, he said.
Every member country has an obligation to abide by the binding Security Council resolutions that are in accordance with the UN Charter, Wang said, adding that it is a commitment made by all countries when they joined the organization.
The US, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, should take the lead in abiding by UN Security Council resolutions, Wang said.
It is hoped that the US will work together with other member states to support Resolution 2728 to achieve a comprehensive cease-fire in Gaza as soon as possible, he added.
Speaking ahead of a vote by the UN Security Council on a Palestinian request for full UN membership, Wang reiterated that China supports the council in discussing and accepting Palestine’s full membership as soon as possible.
On April 18, the US vetoed the Palestinian bid for full UN membership.
A draft resolution received 12 votes in favor, two abstentions, and one vote against, in the 15-member UN Security Council.
Xinhua contributed to this story.
