China says West applies ‘double standards’ on human rights

ISTANBUL (AA) – China said Monday that the West has applied “double standards” by catering to the human rights of people fleeing the Russia-Ukraine war but by ignoring those of refugees from countries in the Middle East, Africa and Latin America.

“I want to stress that the international community should not adopt a double standard on the Palestinian question and other international and regional hotspot issues,” Wang Wenbin, the spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry, told a news conference in Beijing.

Wang was commenting on a statement by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who said after meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday that the latest incidents in Europe have proven that “there are double standards being flagrantly observed around the world.”

During his meeting with Palestinian counterpart Riyad al-Maliki last week on the sidelines of the OIC Foreign Ministers’ Summit in Pakistan, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi had suggested that the authority of the Palestinian National Authority “should be enhanced.”

Wang also called for “greater unity” among Palestinian factions where they can “achieve genuine internal reconciliation.”

Beijing thirdly suggested that a “larger, more authoritative and influential international peace conference should be held with the participation of the permanent members of the UN Security Council and all stakeholders in the Middle East peace process to explore effective ways for a political settlement of the Palestinian question.”

Amnesty International recently declared Israel guilty of the crime of apartheid against Palestinians.