Former French diplomat criticizes so-called "rules-based order"

BEIJING, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- A retired French diplomat has recently criticized Washington's so-called "rules-based order," which is actually built on Western dominance.

"To be frank, I've always been extremely skeptical about this idea of 'rules-based order,'" said Gerard Araud, former French ambassador to the United States and to the United Nations, during an online discussion hosted by U.S. think tank Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft in mid-November.

He based his skepticism on two arguments: One is that the current international order is dominated by the West, and the other is "this order is reflecting the balance of power in 1945."

Although diplomats from emerging regions are playing an important role in international organizations, those from Western countries such as the United States, Britain and France are consistently holding the majority of key positions, he said.

And because of the West's long-lasting dominance, the rest of the world is increasingly showing their dissatisfaction and opposition to Washington's unilateral actions and power politics, he said.

The Americans basically do whatever they want, even when it's against the international law -- as they define it, he said.