International law key for developing countries

Developing countries should make joint efforts to strengthen, respect and adhere to international law to push forward mutual respect, equity, justice and cooperation, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Monday.

Wang made the remarks in a congratulatory letter sent to a colloquium focusing on the role of developing countries in international law.

The seminar, held in Beijing, gathered over 300 participants from more than 80 developing countries as well as international organizations.

Noting unilateralism, protectionism and bullying are undermining the authority of international law and the international order, Wang called on developing countries to uphold the system that underpins the survival, development and prosperity of the developing world.

Luo Zhaohui, vice-foreign minister, said at the seminar if hegemony and power politics dominate the world again, chaos would return, no country could stay unscathed — and developing countries would be the first to suffer. 

China is willing to work with other developing countries to safeguard the United Nations-centered and international law-based international system, Luo said.

Developing countries should work together to uphold multilateralism in international rule-making and reject the practice of imposing one country's domestic rule on others, he said.

He also advocated the fulfillment of international obligations in good faith, and opposed double standards.

Developing countries should uphold core values of international law to safeguard justice and fairness as well as promote peaceful development and cooperation, he said.

"We must oppose hegemony and power politics exercised in the name of international law, and we must stand up against exacerbating disputes and conflicts over regional and international issues under the pretext of international law," he added.

Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf, President of the International Court of Justice, said it is important that exchange and cooperation among nations be devoid of coercion or threat, and should be anchored on the rule of law at the international level, and on peaceful and consensual dispute settlement.

"Asian and African states, or the nations of the Global South in general, can spearhead the establishment of foundational principles of international law concerning peaceful exchanges and cooperation," he said.