China asks the United States to "assume responsibility" for the non-payment of quotas in the United Nations

MADRID, 14 May. (EUROPA PRESS) -

China has suggested that the United States "seeks zero-sum games" and promotes "block confrontation", although it assures that they are "regional friends", in the framework of the meeting this week of the leaders of the Association of Southeast Nations Asian (ASEAN).

"It is necessary for us to take into account the long-term and common interests of the region, play a positive and constructive role in regional peace, stability and development, and do more concrete things for Asia-Pacific cooperation with a sound mindset." and constructive," Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said.

In this way, he said that cooperation in the group is based "on the shared need to deepen good neighborliness and improve mutually beneficial cooperation." "Cooperation between China and ASEAN is defined by mutually beneficial cooperation, openness and inclusiveness," she added.

In addition to the United States, its other ten members have attended: Brunei, Cambodia, Singapore, Laos, Indonesia, Malaysia, Burma, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam. US President Joe Biden has welcomed the leaders of these countries to Washington.

The United States has often emphasized the "centrality of ASEAN" in its Indo-Pacific strategy to contain China. In fact, in a joint statement, the group has stressed the importance of maintaining "peace, stability and prosperity" in the South China Sea."

"We stress the importance of practical measures that could reduce tensions and the risk of accidents, misunderstandings and miscalculations. We stress the importance of preventive and confidence-building measures to increase, among other things, trust between the parties", they have pointed out.

Thus, they have reaffirmed their commitment to seek "a peaceful solution to disputes" in accordance with International Law, since, for years, China has maintained a territorial dispute with Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia and the Philippines over several islands located in this area. .

The group has also referred to the denuclearization efforts in the face of tensions with North Korea, as well as to the crisis in Burma to facilitate a "peaceful solution" or also to the situation in Ukraine, although no words appear in the statement as "invasion" or "war", but instead call for "the cessation of hostilities".

"Discussions have covered a wide range of critical issues, including working together to sustain the fight against COVID-19; taking climate action and pursuing a clean energy future; building high-end, sustainable infrastructure; and expanding access to education; improve maritime cooperation," Biden said, as reported by the White House.

The US president has pointed out that "the centrality of ASEAN is the core of the strategy" of the Biden Administration. "An Indo-Pacific that is free and open, stable and prosperous, and resilient and secure," he added.

Biden has also announced that the United States will offer more than 150 million dollars -- 144 million euros -- to the ASEAN countries -- an alliance "critical, according to the president, for the moment in which we are "right now" -- for initiatives including maritime cooperation and clean energy.

US MUST ASSUME RESPONSIBILITIES, ACCORDING TO CHINA

On the other hand, Lijian has asked Washington to "assume responsibilities" in the face of the non-payment of quotas in the United Nations and has indicated that it must "pay them in full and on time", as well as "compensate for arrears" and take the initiative "in the fulfillment of its financial obligations.

"Instead of paying its huge arrears in the regular budget and assessments, the US has been using financial means to fulfill its political agenda, put pressure on the UN and transfer responsibilities to other member states. What rules are you playing by?" the spokesman for the Asian giant has wondered.

Likewise, at a press conference, he also emphasized that the accusation of genocide in Xinjiang "is nothing more than the lie of the century invented "by some people in the United States" without taking into account the facts.

"(China) has been discredited time and time again when confronted with the truth. The US continues to spread rumors and smear China in an attempt to tarnish China's image and contain its development, but such plots will not succeed," he said. specified.