By Berk Kutay Gokmen
ISTANBUL (AA) - China on Thursday called for an end to the “remnants of colonialism,” and expressed support to uphold “international fairness and justice.”
Beijing’s envoy to the UN Fu Cong made the remarks while addressing a UN General Assembly meeting to commemorate the first International Day Against Colonialism in all its forms and manifestations.
“China aligns itself with the statement by Venezuela on behalf of the Group of Friends in defense of the charter of the United Nations,” said Fu, according to a transcript by the Chinese UN mission website.
“At present, despite the end of colonial occupation and the collapse of the colonial system, the world has yet to emerge from the shadow of colonialism. Hegemonism, unilateralism, and power politics, as legacies of colonialism, remain rampant,” he said.
“The international community needs to resist the colonial mentality in ideological, political, economic, cultural, and educational domains, eradicate the remnants of colonialism, uphold international fairness and justice, and promote greater democracy and rule of law in international relations,” he added.
The remarks came after China voiced support for Venezuela’s request to convene an emergency meeting of the Security Council, as tensions escalate amid mounting US pressure on Caracas.
US forces have maintained a growing military presence in the Caribbean during the last four months, carrying out strikes against vessels accused of drug trafficking, though no evidence has been publicly released. US President Donald Trump has said the US military could conduct land strikes on Venezuelan territory.
The standoff escalated last week when US forces seized a sanctioned oil tanker off the Venezuelan coast, an act Caracas branded “international piracy.”
Separately, Fu pointed to the era of Japanese colonialism. “We must never allow any denial or distortion of the history of aggression, never allow the revival of militarism, and never allow the recurrence of historical tragedies,” he said.
“As a defeated country in World War II, Japan must do deep soul-searching regarding its historical crimes, abide by the political commitments it made on the Taiwan question, immediately stop provocative actions that cross the line, and retract its erroneous remarks,” he added.
Tensions between China and Japan have escalated since Nov. 7, when Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said a Chinese attack on Taiwan could legally constitute a “survival-threatening situation,” potentially allowing Japan to exercise the right of collective self-defense.
Beijing sharply criticized the remarks, urged Chinese tourists to avoid Japan, suspended seafood imports and postponed a trilateral culture ministers’ meeting with Japan and South Korea.