China hits out at Hague’s criticism of UN veto

Published on Thursday 9 February 2012 02:12

CHINA has lashed out at Foreign Secretary William Hague, saying his criticism of Beijing’s veto of a United Nations resolution pressing Syrian president Bashar al-Assad to abandon power was “extremely irresponsible”.

Foreign ministry spokesman Liu Weimin also accused Mr Hague yesterday of harbouring “ulterior motives”, in what was China’s strongest comments since it rejected the UN resolution.

Western and Arab states voiced outrage on Sunday after Russia and China vetoed the UN resolution.

Mr Hague said Moscow and Beijing had turned their backs on the Arab world.

“Such accusations are extremely irresponsible, with ulterior motives and the Chinese find them totally unacceptable,” Mr Liu said, in response to a question from a reporter from the state-run China Daily on Mr Hague’s comments.

Mr Liu claimed that China “will always safeguard the fundamental and long-term interests of the Syrian people.

“China’s voting position in the security council is based on the UN charter and principles, China’s longstanding foreign policy and also to safeguard the country’s fundamental and long-term interests.”.

China’s actions, he said, were undertaken in the open. “We will make unremitting efforts for the peaceful resolution of the Syrian crisis.”

He did not expand on what was meant by “ulterior motives” but China carries a strongly nationalist strain beneath its more diplomatic language.

Britain is often still equated in Beijing with the humiliations of the Opium Wars nearly 200 years and is seen as being deceptive in its political declarations.