On Friday (May 15), China’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Fu Cong, criticized the draft resolution on the Strait of Hormuz proposed by the United States and Bahrain, saying the content of the proposal and its timing are inappropriate, and that passing this draft will not help solve the issue of the Strait of Hormuz.
According to Reuters, the draft resolution calls for Iran to cease attacks and mining in the Strait of Hormuz. Diplomats believe that this proposal is highly likely to be vetoed by Russia and China. Last month, China and Russia vetoed a related U.S.-backed resolution, arguing that its content was biased against Iran.
According to a live interview clip published by PassBlue, when Fu Cong was asked about this draft resolution, he said: “We believe the content is not appropriate, and the timing isn’t right. What we need instead is to urge the parties in conflict to engage in sincere negotiations to find a resolution. Passing this resolution at this stage, we do not think will help solve the issue.”
PassBlue is a non-profit, independent media company headquartered in New York, based in the UN press center. They specialize in reporting on the United Nations and global international affairs.
PassBlue is a non-profit, independent media company headquartered in New York, based in the UN press center. They specialize in reporting on the United Nations and global international affairs.
Fu Cong said that, in his capacity as the current rotating president of the UN Security Council, if China decided, the resolution would not be put to a vote. However, as the rotating president, China has the responsibility to arrange a vote on the draft, but has not received any such application so far.
Previously, a China-U.S. leaders’ summit was held in Beijing. According to the White House website, U.S. President Donald Trump and China’s President Xi Jinping agreed that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open, and Xi also expressed opposition to militarizing the Strait or imposing transit fees.
The White House added that during the meeting, China had agreed to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The Chinese Foreign Ministry stated that this conflict should not have occurred in the first place and does not need to continue; China has always believed that dialogue and negotiation are the proper path, and that force is not a solution; since the door to dialogue has been opened, it should not be shut again.
The White House added that during the meeting, China had agreed to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The Chinese Foreign Ministry stated that this conflict should not have occurred in the first place and does not need to continue; China has always believed that dialogue and negotiation are the proper path, and that force is not a solution; since the door to dialogue has been opened, it should not be shut again.