Unilateral sanctions "tumor of human society," says Chinese envoy

UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- Describing unilateral coercive measures as a "tumor of human society," a Chinese envoy on Wednesday urged the United States and some other Western countries to cancel their illegal and unreasonable sanctions immediately.

In fact, the unilateral sanctions by those countries under the pretext of human rights violate human rights in other nations, said Dai Bing, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations.

"Those Western countries must be held responsible and accountable for the systematic violation of human rights caused by their unilateral coercive measures," Dai said at the side event of the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations on the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on human rights.

Unilateral coercive measures violate the UN Charter and international law, the envoy said, noting that some countries even attempt to use those measures to suppress the legitimate governments of the countries concerned and instigate "color revolutions" for regime changes, which poses a severe threat to world peace and stability.

Some individual countries' abuse of sanction measures, like imposing trade bans, blocking financial investments and interfering with markets, is disrupting international economic, trade and technological cooperation. The sanctions gravely threaten global food, energy and financial security and pose livelihood difficulties for developing countries, even resulting in humanitarian disasters in some vulnerable nations, he said.

Unilateral sanctions also cause severe damage to the harmony and stability of international relations. Even basic requirements such as paying UN dues and attending UN meetings in the U.S. city of New York have been interrupted, Dai said, adding that such practices should be condemned.

"We urge the United States and some other Western countries to face squarely the international appeal for justice, and immediately cancel their unilateral coercive measures, so as to practice true multilateralism with concrete actions," Dai said.