CHINA: China defends itself against "irresponsible" accusations made by Britain saying Beijing's veto of UN resolution is a "betrayal of the Syrian people"

Record ID: 280582

  • Title: CHINA: China defends itself against "irresponsible" accusations made by Britain saying Beijing's veto of UN resolution is a "betrayal of the Syrian people"
  • Date: 9th February 2012
  • Summary: BEIJING, CHINA (FEBRUARY 8, 2012) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY CHINESE NATIONAL EMBLEM CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN LIU WEIMIN WALKING IN FOR REGULAR NEWS CONFERENCE JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN LIU WEIMIN SAYING: "We think the accusation is extremely irresponsible and has a hidden agenda. China will ne
  • Embargoed: 24th February 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: China, China
  • Country: China
  • Topics: International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA4DCH5SLCQ48U2501BXZMEFIMF
  • Story Text: China defended its policy on Syria on Wednesday (February 8) and said comments made by British Foreign Secretary William Hague were "extremely irresponsible".
    Moscow and Beijing actions vetoed a U.N. resolution over the weekend that backed an Arab plan calling on President Bashar al-Assad to quit.
    Hague on Monday (February 6) said the action was a "betrayal of the Syrian people"
    "We think the accusation is extremely irresponsible and has a hidden agenda. China will never accept it. China and Syria have a long-term friendship, China is a friend of the Syrian people. When it comes to Syria, our bottom line is to safeguard the fundamental and long-term interests of the Syrian people and promote peace and stability of Syria and the region," foreign ministry spokesman Liu Weimin told a regular news conference in Beijing.
    The conflicting Chinese and Western positions have exposed a wider rift about how China should use its growing influence and whether it should abandon its long-standing, albeit unevenly applied, principle of non-interference in other countries' domestic conflicts.
    Siding with Russia over Syria could also add to China's irritants with the United States.
    Vice President Xi Jinping is due to visit there next week, burnishing his credentials as the Communist Party's likely next top leader.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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