The International Criminal Court (ICC) should avoid politicization and application of double standards, and respect Sudan's judicial sovereignty and jurisdiction in dealing with the relevant issues, said China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations (UN) Sun Lei on Monday.
Sun made the statement at a U.N. Security Council meeting, following a semi-annual briefing by ICC Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan on the situation in the Darfur, Sudan.
The Chinese envoy stated that China supports the international community in lawfully combating and punishing the most serious international crimes, and its position on the ICC remains unchanged.
China consistently maintains that the ICC should abide by the Rome Statute and the mandates of relevant UN Security Council resolutions, and strictly adhere to the principle of complementarity, he said.
According to Sun, China has noticed that the Court has rendered its first conviction in the relevant cases.
"When dealing with international and regional hotspot issues, the ICC should always maintain an independent, objective, and impartial stance, apply international law equally and uniformly, and avoid politicization and application of double standards," Sun said.
China has consistently emphasized that the ICC should maintain close communication and cooperation with the government of the states concerned, Sun highlighted.
He also stated that China welcomes the positive progress in cooperation between the Sudanese government and the Prosecutor's Office mentioned in the report, including facilitating country visit by the Office's mission, dispatching its Attorney General to The Hague, and responding promptly to requests for assistance.
The ICC should enhance communication and cooperation with the Sudanese government, according to Sun.
"The Court should fully respect Sudan's judicial sovereignty and jurisdiction, heed the legitimate concerns of the Sudanese government, and avoid inappropriate intervention that could exacerbate tensions. At the same time, it should support Sudan in strengthening its national judicial system and capacity building to better ensure fairness and justice," Sun said.
Sun underscored China's call for the international community to shoulder shared responsibility.
Under the premise of respecting Sudan's sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, efforts should be intensified to form a synergy for mediation, accelerate the promotion of a ceasefire and an end to the fighting, and increase the provision of humanitarian assistance, so that the conflict in Sudan may end at an early date and the people may regain peace, he added.
Chinese envoy urges ICC to uphold Sudan's sovereignty in dealing with relevant issues
Chinese envoy urges ICC to uphold Sudan's sovereignty in dealing with relevant issues
