No exception nor privilege for U.S. in complying with int'l law: Wang Yi

JAKARTA, April 18 (Xinhua) -- There is no exception nor any privilege for the United States in complying with international law, including United Nations Security Council resolutions, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Thursday.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks at a joint press conference after meeting with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi.

In response to a question over the UN's role in calling for a ceasefire 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 been continuously deliberating on draft resolutions regarding a ceasefire in Gaza, only to be repeatedly vetoed by the United States, Wang said.

He added that the UN Security Council has recently adopted Resolution 2728, demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. This time, the United States did not dare to continue standing against international moral principles and instead chose to abstain, yet claimed that this resolution was "non-binding."

This statement by the United States has astounded the world, once again exposing the hegemonic mentality of the United States, Wang noted.

He criticized the U.S. for employing international law as merely a tool that can be utilized at will or discarded when deemed unnecessary.

Wang pointed out that every member state of the United Nations is well aware that the resolutions adopted by the Security Council in accordance with the UN Charter are binding and that all countries are obliged to abide by them, which is a serious commitment made by all countries when they joined the United Nations.

The United States, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, should take the lead in abiding by UN Security Council resolutions, Wang said, adding that in response to the absurd claims made by the United States, the UN Secretariat has clearly emphasized that all Security Council resolutions are international laws and are legally binding.

It is hoped that the United States will drop its sense of superiority and truly heed the voices of the international community, Wang said, adding that it is time U.S. officials brush up on their basic knowledge of international law.

The United States has consistently claimed to comply with "the rules-based international order," but the most significant rules are the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, including international legal norms such as UN Security Council resolutions, Wang said.

The Security Council, as the core of the world's collective security mechanism, should by no means be manipulated by individual countries for geopolitical purposes, nor should it serve as a stage to pursue hegemony or power politics, the Chinese foreign minister noted.

There is no exception in the United Nations in complying with international laws including Security Council resolutions, and the United States holds no privileges in this regard, Wang said.

Wang expressed hope that the United States would change its long-standing superiority complex, and work, as a member of the United Nations, along with other member states, to fulfill the due international responsibilities, support Resolution 2728, and achieve an overall cease-fire in the Gaza Strip at an early date, so as to save the Palestinian people from their sufferings.