APD | China-US veto standoff over Afghanistan

By APD writer Rishika Chauhan

According to recent reports China and the US are embroiled in a deadlock over a UN Security Council resolution on the extension of UN’s political mission in Afghanistan.

Voting scheduled for Monday, was postponed as Beijing hinted at its reservations, as there was no reference to the global Belt and Road infrastructure project in the resolution.

The resolution will need nine votes in favour and no vetoes by the permanent members of the UN, which are US, China, France, Russia and Britain to get passed.

According to a report published in the Reuters, “China was then planning to propose a vote on a short draft resolution, known as a technical rollover, to allow the mission to keep operating, diplomats said.”

“But they added it could fail to get the nine votes needed to pass because several council members were considering abstaining,” it further explained.

Previous resolutions passed in 2016, 2017 and 2018 had welcomed China’s Belt and Road initiative as it would help in encouraging trade and communication.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)