China and Russia have drawn the wrath of the United States, Europe and much of the Arab world for the weekend veto, which they say blocked a U.N. attempt to end nearly 11 months of bloodshed and raises fears that the violence will escalate.
China says the resolution put undue emphasis on pressuring the Syrian government and prejudged the result of any dialogue between the parties in Syria.
The veto also appears to be rooted in China’s deep-seated opposition to humanitarian interventions, which stems from its elevation of national sovereignty above all and concerns about its vulnerabilities over the restive western regions of Xinjiang and Tibet.
China’s rare abstention last year from the U.N. vote over a Libyan no-fly zone was later regretted by Chinese diplomats, who said NATO far overstepped its mandate and pledged not to permit any U.N. measures that could lead to similar action over Syria.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said Monday the Security Council vote on the U.N. resolution over Syria was forced before all parties had agreed on it.