File Photo: VCG

The resolution to suspend Russia from the UN Human Rights Council was not drafted in an open and transparent manner and the hasty move has forced countries to take sides, which will aggravate the division among member states and intensify conflicts between the parties concerned, China's permanent representative to the UN, Zhang Jun, said in explanation of China's vote against the resolution on Thursday.

The draft resolution on the suspension of Russia's rights of membership in the Human Rights Council was approved on Thursday with two thirds of the eligible members voting in favor in the US-led push that garnered 93 votes in favor, 24 against and 58 abstentions, Reuters reported. 

On the Ukraine issue, Zhang said that China always believes that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, including Ukraine, should be respected, that the purposes and principles of the UN Charter should be upheld, and that all efforts conducive to a peaceful settlement of the crisis should be supported.

Putting an early end to the fight is the urgent expectation of the international community and it is also what China is striving for. China calls on all parties concerned to take concrete actions to ensure the safety of civilians and protect the basic rights and humanitarian needs of women, children and other vulnerable groups.

Zhang said the reports and images of civilian deaths in Bucha are disturbing. The relevant circumstances and specific causes of the incident must be verified and established. Any accusations should be based on facts. Before the full picture is clear, all sides should exercise restraint and avoid unfounded accusations.

Dialogue and negotiation is the only way out of the Ukraine crisis. China always believes that the international community should remain rational and strongly united instead of setting up obstacles, let alone adding fuel to the fire by aggravating confrontations.

"We regret to see that the conflict has caused civilian casualties and massive displacements and that the all-dimensional, indiscriminate and bottomless sanctions have brought serious, negative impact on the post-pandemic recovery, reversing hard-won development gains, and making the realization of the 2030 Agenda even more difficult," Zhang said. 

Life amid the pandemic has become even more difficult and while developing countries are not parties to the conflict, they are forced to get involved in this geopolitical competition and power rivalry, which is unfair. 

"Some individual countries, while talking loudly about peace, are obsessed with creating bloc confrontations, including provoking tensions in the Asia-Pacific region. This self-contradictory and inconsistent approach is very dangerous and worrying, and should be resolutely rejected," Zhang said. 

China firmly opposes the politicization or instrumentalization of human rights, oppose  selective and confrontational approaches as well as double standards on human rights issues, and oppose exerting pressure on other countries in the name of human rights.

"Nevertheless, this resolution was not drafted in an open and transparent manner," Zhang noted. "Such a hasty move forces countries to choose sides and it will aggravate the division among member states and intensify contradictions between the parties concerned. It is not conducive to the de-escalation of the conflict and even less so to advancing the peace talks."

Zhang added that dealing with the membership of the Council in such a way would set a dangerous precedent bringing a greater impact on the UN governance system with serious consequences.