China has expressed disagreement with the US in its message to the UN General Assembly, saying that the sovereignty of Gulf countries must be respected and calling on the "relevant country" to stop threatening Cuba and lift its blockade, Reuters reported.
Chinese Vice President Han Zheng did not specifically mention the US in his remarks.
Washington has launched a campaign of pressure on Cuba, largely blocking oil supplies to the island. The US conflict with Iran began with joint US-Israeli strikes in February.
The comments contrasted sharply with the friendly atmosphere demonstrated earlier this week during a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
"Major powers must bear a special responsibility for safeguarding international peace and security. They should set an example by following the rules, upholding the rule of law and doing the right thing," Han said.
“China maintains that the sovereignty and security of countries in the Middle East, including those in the Persian Gulf, must be respected,“ he added.
During the talks in Washington, Trump warned Xi not to support Iran and received assurances that China would not do so, the US ambassador to China said yesterday.
The warning followed reports that Beijing had supplied Iran with anti-aircraft missile systems and that Tehran had found ways to circumvent sanctions on oil sales with Chinese help.
“China calls on the relevant country to immediately stop using threats and force against Cuba and immediately and completely lift the blockade and sanctions against Cuba,“ the Chinese stressed. vice president.
Cuba's power grid suffered a complete blackout earlier this month, plunging the country into darkness and leaving millions without electricity as the United States tightens its blockade. Cuba's aging energy system has been under severe strain for years due to fuel shortages and aging infrastructure, but a U.S.-imposed oil embargo that began in January has exacerbated the blackouts and led to frequent outages.
Han also used his speech to portray China as a reliable partner on the world stage and a steadfast defender of developing countries.
"China upholds the thesis that all countries, large or small, are equal members of the international community, and that global issues should be resolved by all through consultation," he said.