China and 25 other countries urge Western sanctions lifting to tackle virus

Chinese Ambassador to the United Nations Zhang Jun arrives for the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly, on Sept. 22, 2020, at the UN headquarters. - AP

UNITED NATIONS, Oct 6 (AP): China and 25 other nations countries on Monday called for the immediate lifting of sanctions by the United States and Western countries to ensure an effective response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Speaking on behalf of the 26 countries at a meeting of the UN General Assembly’s human rights committee, China’s UN Ambassador Zhang Jun said "unilateral coercive measures” violate the UN Charter, multilateralism, and impede human rights by hindering "the well-being of the population in the affected countries” and undermining the right to health.