During the UN General Assembly debate on Monday, China’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Fu Cong, delivered a passionate appeal to end unilateral coercive measures that, he argues, are eroding multilateral cooperation and international law.
He warned that unilateral coercive measures:
- Place one country’s domestic laws above international law and sovereign equality;
- Undermine the UN Security Council’s collective decision-making mechanism;
- Replace dialogue and consultation with coercion and power politics;
- Violate basic human rights, triggering humanitarian crises;
- Disrupt global development cooperation and stall the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development;
- Jeopardize international trade, tech cooperation, and supply chains, worsening food, energy and inequality challenges.
Fu specifically criticized some Western countries’ use of financial embargoes, trade restrictions and long-arm jurisdiction as tools that not only hamper economic growth but also weaponize human rights rhetoric to legitimize power politics.
He called on these governments to honor their commitments under the UN Charter and immediately, unconditionally and completely lift all unilateral coercive measures. Fu also urged UN member states and international organizations to stand together against these practices and support affected countries.
As a key member of the Global South and a nation that has itself faced sanctions, China pledged to uphold the UN-centered international system and work with global partners toward a fairer, more balanced framework for peace, stability and shared prosperity.
The General Assembly later adopted a resolution to designate December 4 each year as the International Day Against Unilateral Coercive Measures, marking a new milestone in the global push for multilateralism and collective action.
Reference(s):
Chinese envoy calls for efforts to end unilateral coercive measures
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