Chinese envoy says Nicaragua's sovereignty should be respected

Wu Haitao (front), China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, speaks at a Security Council open debate on the situation in Nicaragua at the UN headquarters in New York, Sept. 5, 2018. China reiterated on Wednesday its stance that all countries' sovereignty should be respected at a United Nations Security Council open debate on the situation in Nicaragua. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- China reiterated on Wednesday its stance that all countries' sovereignty should be respected at a United Nations Security Council open debate on the situation in Nicaragua.

Wu Haitao, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN, said China has consistently called for the respect for countries' sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity as well as adherence to the non-interference in internal affairs principle.

Wu also said in his brief remarks that China holds the view that the situation in Nicaragua does not constitute a threat to international peace and security and the Security Council should not get involved.

At the debate marked by evident divide, the United States led the accusation against Nicaragua of declining "into a failed, corrupt, and dictatorial state," while some others rejected the discussion on the matter.

Mostly notably, Russia questioned if the council's mandate includes exerting pressure on a sovereign state to "negotiate certain changes thereby conceding to anti-government forces."

The agenda of the debate was put forward by the United States upon assuming presidency of the Security Council for September.

Nicaragua has been in turmoil since anti-government protests erupted on April 18. The government's countermeasures and ensuing violence have resulted in some 300 deaths and 2,000 injury casualties, according to a report released last week by the UN Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights.