China firmly opposes use of force in international relations

BEIJING, Apr 14 (APP):China has consistently opposed the use of force in international relations and has advocated respect for the
sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all countries, a spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of
Foreign Affairs said on Saturday in response to the coordinated missile strikes in Syria by the US, the UK and
France.
“As always, we oppose the use of force in international relations and call for respect for other countries’
sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity,” Hua Chunying said in a statement issued here.
She said any unilateral military action, bypassing the Security Council, runs contrary to the purpose and
principles of the UN Charter and violates the principles of international law and the basic norms governing
international relations, and will further complicate the Syrian issue.
“China urges the relevant parties to return to the framework of international law and resolve the issue
through dialogue and negotiation”, she added.
To a question that the three countries including the US said the military strikes were launched in response
to the suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria, she commented that China believes that regarding the
suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria, a comprehensive, impartial and objective investigation should
be carried out to reach a reliable conclusion that can stand the test of time. Yet before that, a prejudgment
should not be made.