In a speech to the UN Special Committee on Decolonization, the ambassador of China’s permanent mission to the United Nations, Geng Shuang, expressed Beijing’s support for Argentina in its territorial dispute with the United Kingdom over the Malvinas Islands. Geng emphasized that the Malvinas issue is a historical legacy of colonialism and that, although the colonial era is behind us, hegemonic practices and policies reflecting colonial thinking still persist.
According to the Chinese ambassador, this approach has a negative impact on international relations and the world order and harms the sovereignty, security, and development interests of the countries involved. In this regard, China reaffirmed its “firm” support for Argentina’s legitimate claim to sovereignty over the Malvinas Islands and advocated a peaceful solution through negotiations, in line with the principles of the UN Charter.
China also urged the United Kingdom to refrain from actions that could increase tensions and confrontation and to accept Argentina’s request to resume dialogue and negotiations over the islands as soon as possible, with the aim of finding a peaceful, just, and lasting solution.
It should be noted that in 1965, the UN General Assembly determined that there was a situation of colonialism in the Malvinas that should be resolved through peaceful and negotiated means. However, in 1982, during the dictatorship of Leopoldo Galtieri in Argentina, actions were taken to recover the islands by force, resulting in an armed conflict in which Argentine military, British, and civilian islanders were killed. Since then, the UK has refused to revive talks on the dispute.