BEIJING, April 14. /TASS/. Any unilateral military actions in circumvention of the UN Security Council contradict the UN Charter and principles, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Saturday in the wake of the missile strike by the US and its allies against Syria.
"China has always spoken against the use of military force in international relations and spoken for the respect of the sovereignty of all the states, their independence and territorial integrity," the spokeswoman said.
"Any unilateral military actions in circumvention of the UN Security Council contradict the basic goals and principles of the UN Charter," says the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s statement posted on its website.
"China is calling on all the parties concerned to return to the framework of international law and resolve the problem through dialogue and consultations," the statement reads.
"China believes that political settlement is the sole way out of the Syrian crisis, Hua Chunying said.
The international community supports the UN as the main mediation channel in settling the situation in the country, she said.
Missile strike against Syria
According to data of Russia’s Defense Ministry, the missile strike against Syria’s military and civilian infrastructures was carried out by US planes and naval ships in cooperation with British and French air forces between 03:42 and 05:10 Moscow time on Saturday.
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The United States, Britain and France said the strikes were in response to an alleged chemical weapons attack in Syria’s Douma.
On April 7, a number of NGOs, including the White Helmets, alleged that chemical weapons were used in Douma, Eastern Ghouta. According to the statement published on the organization’s website on April 8, chlorine bombs had been dropped on the city, killing dozens and poisoning many locals who had to be brought to the hospital.
The Russian Foreign Ministry dismissed that report as fake news. The Defense Ministry added that the White Helmets were notorious for spreading falsehoods.
Representatives of the Russian Center for the Reconciliation of the Warring Sides held a probe in Douma on April 9 but found no traces of chemical weapons use. On April 10, Damascus sent an official invitation to the OPCW to visit Eastern Ghouta. On the same day, OPCW Director-General Ahmet Uzumcu said the organization had made a decision to send its experts to Syria.
OPCW experts were due to begin their probe at the scene of the alleged chemical attack on Saturday.