UNITED NATIONS, November 3. /TASS/. Beijing considers Russia’s questions on the activities of US biological laboratories in Ukraine legitimate, China’s deputy UN envoy Geng Shuang said at the UN Security Council meeting on Wednesday.

"Since this March Russia has repeatedly submitted to the Security Council the statements on the US' suspected military actions in the biological area on Ukrainian territory. We believe any evidence on compliance with obligations under the Convention [on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction - TASS] should be the object of full attention of the international community, deserving proper answers and explanation by respective parties," the Chinese diplomat noted.

"No full answers to Russia’s complaints followed" at the consultative meeting in September, which is why "Russia as a member-state submitted its complaints to the [Security] Council," he said, adding that "it is reasonable and legitimate, and it should not be blocked."

Earlier, the UN Security Council rejected the draft resolution readied by Russia, which suggested setting up its commission to investigate into the activities of US biological laboratories in Ukraine. In particular, the document suggested that the UN Security Council decide to set up a commission consisting of all its members to investigate into the claims against the US and Ukraine contained in the complaint of the Russian Federation regarding the compliance with obligations under the Convention in the context of the activities of biological laboratories in the territory of Ukraine, as well as present to the Council a report on the issue on containing recommendations by November 30, 2022 and inform the States Parties to the Convention at its 9th Review Conference to be held in Geneva on November 28 - December 16, 2022 of the results of the investigation.

Russia and China voted for the document, the UK, the US and France voted against it, while the remaining members of the Security Council, including Albania, Gabon, Ghana, India, Ireland, Kenya, Mexico, Norway and the UAE, refrained from voting.