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Video of China’s UN Envoy Goes Viral; Official Slams UN Resolution on Syria

| Mar 07, 2017 07:53 AM EST

A video of Liu Jieyi speaking at the U.N. went viral on social media.

Liu Jieyi, China's permanent preventative to the U.N., spoke at the voting session for a resolution banning the use of chemical warfare in Syria.

China and Russia both vetoed the resolution which received strong criticism from the international community and became China's viral news.

Matthew Rycroft, Britain's permanent preventative to the U.N., said that China's vote "undermines confidence in the international community's ability to tackle flagrant violations of international law."

Liu defended China's vote and said that negotiations are still in place and "it is too early to reach a final conclusion."

He then added, "We oppose the use of chemical weapons by any state, any organization and any individual under any circumstance."

He also suggested that "some countries should reflect on why the situation in the Middle East and Syria has developed to what it is today."

"What roles have these countries played? Which acts are gracious and which are not?" Liu asked.

Russia, on the other hand, agreed with China. Russian Deputy Ambassador Vladimir Safronkov vetoed the U.N. resolution on Syria.

Safronkov said, "We see this as an attempt to retard and undermine the current political and diplomatic efforts."

Responses from netizens said that China has given its best behavior as it urged other countries to stop the hypocrisy on the war on Syria.

The resolution would have stopped the supply of helicopters to the Syrian government as well as travel bans and asset freezes of entities involved in chemical warfare dealings with the war-torn country.

An organization of doctors who treat chemical attacks victims, Physicians for Human Rights, released a statement condemning the Russian and Chinese vote.

"Shame on the Russian Federation, China and all those who enable the Syrian government's attempts to escape accountability for war crimes and crimes against humanity," said the statement.

"By vetoing this resolution, Russia and China have displayed a callous disregard for the lives of millions of Syrians," said Sherine Tadros of Amnesty International.

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