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China backs Argentina’s Falklands claim, calls for end to ‘colonial thinking’
- Beijing envoy warns special committee on decolonisation of ‘serious implications’ for international order of hegemonism and power politics
- Meeting adopts resolution calling on Britain and Argentina to resume negotiations over sovereignty of the islands
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A Chinese ambassador to the United Nations, Geng Shuang, has backed Argentina’s claim to the Falkland Islands and called on countries to abandon “colonial thinking”, warning of its serious implications for the international order.
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Geng, China’s deputy permanent representative to the UN, made the comments on Tuesday to a special committee on decolonisation, which adopted a resolution calling on Britain and Argentina to resume negotiations over the islands, also known as the Malvinas.
“The issue of the Malvinas Islands is a historical legacy of colonialism. Although the colonial era has passed, hegemonism and power politics that are in line with colonial thinking still exist today,” he said.
Geng said this way of thinking has a “serious impact” on international relations and order and “seriously damages” the sovereignty, security and development interests of the countries involved.
“The international community must remain highly vigilant and resolutely resist this,” he said.
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Argentina maintains that the islands – about 600km (370 miles) from its coastline in the South Atlantic – were illegally taken by Britain, which argues that it has territorial claims dating back to 1765.
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