China opposes putting human rights abuses in DPRK on UN agenda

World Today

China’s permanent representative to the United Nations Liu Jieyi (C) votes during a meeting of the United Nations Security Council at the UN headquarters in New York on Dec. 22, 2014. China on Monday opposed to putting the situation in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) by the UN Security Council on its provisional agenda citing human rights reasons. (Xinhua/Niu Xiaolei)

China has opposed the planned debate on human rights abuses in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) by the U.N. Security Council on Monday afternoon, a Chinese envoy said.

Liu Jieyi, China’s permanent representative to the United Nations, made the remarks earlier on Monday at a Security Council meeting.

“The U.N. Charter stipulates explicitly that the primary responsibility of the Security Council is to maintain international peace and security,” he said.

“Various U.N. organs have their respective functions and the division of labor. The Security Council is not the right place to get involved in human rights issues,” Liu said, stressing that the human rights issues should not be politicized.

The sentiment was repeated by China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying today. When asked for comment about the DPRK and the U.N., she said referred to the human rights issue as an “excuse.”

“It is China’s consistent position that human rights issue should not be politicized nor be used as an excuse to pressure other countries,” Hua said. “The Security Council is not an appropriate place to step in human rights issue. It should focus on addressing issues that are genuinely relevant to world peace and security.”

Liu also said international peace and security are faced with numerous daunting challenges.

“The Security Council should strictly abide by its responsibilities and concentrate on addressing issues which really concern international peace and security,” Liu said.

Warning that the situation on the Korean Peninsula remains complex and sensitive, Liu the U.N. body should be working to uphold the goal of denuclearization of the Peninsula, maintain peace and stability on the Peninsula, and insist on dialogue and consultations as a way to solve issues.

He pointed out that the U.N. Security Council should work more to facilitate dialogue and ease tensions, and refrain from doing anything that might cause the escalation of tension.

“The Council’s involvement in the DPRK human rights issues will go against the above goals and can only bring harm instead of benefits,” Liu said.

“China is a close neighbor of the Korean Peninsula… We will never allow any turbulence or war taking place on the Peninsula.”

The ambassador added that China will continue to work for the realization of a denuclearized peninsula, maintain its peace and stability, and address issues through dialogue and consultations.

“China hopes that the relevant parties will make concerted effort to take practical actions to create conditions for the resumption of the Six-Party Talks with a view to jointly maintaining the overall situation of peace and stability of the Peninsula,” he said.

Report compiled from CCTV America and Xinhua reports.