Double standards on democracy

US and its allies are hindering world peace and development by trying to halt the rise of developing countries

The US-led Summit for Democracy is convening on Thursday and Friday. No matter how hard the United States tries to sugarcoat it, the meeting is, in essence, another gathering aimed at roping in its allies to support and implement US foreign policy.

The rise of developing countries has hastened the transformation of the Western-centric global political landscape that has lasted for centuries. Against such a backdrop, the US has been constantly adopting double standards in the practice of democracy and in its foreign policy, intensifying its efforts to maintain its hegemony and suppress developing countries.

In this regard, the countries and peoples in the Middle East have witnessed all sorts of failed attempts to export the Western model to the region, as well as the turbulence of the "Arab Spring".They have gained a profound understanding of the disruptions and damages caused by the US' double standards on democracy.

Therefore, most Middle East countries and the wider developing world including China are forming a strong momentum to resolutely resist interference from the Western countries, the US in particular, in their development. When the US pointed the finger at China on a series of issues, from novel coronavirus origins tracing, human rights, nuclear non-proliferation to global counterterrorism, they have taken a firm stance against the US to safeguard fairness and justice.

The US just issued a report on the COVID-19 origins, concocted by its intelligence agencies, instead of the scientific institutions, which once again hyped the conspiracy of a "lab-leak" in China. However, one of hypotheses that the virus may have escaped from a virology lab at Fort Detrick in Maryland has never been responded to by the US government.

The US move of politicizing the pandemic, with the intention of blaming others for its anti-pandemic failure, has severely obstructed the scientific efforts of origins tracing and poisoned the solidarity in tackling fallout from the COVID-19.Therefore, 12 Middle Eastern countries, together with nearly 100 other countries, have called upon all parties to defend the science-based results of the WHO-China joint report on the COVID-19 origins, through such means as submitting a joint letter to the World Health Organization director-general and issuing statements or diplomatic notes. They have expressed strong opposition to the politicization of the coronavirus origins analysis, and strong support for treating it as a scientific problem.

In spite of the pervasive racial discrimination in the country and its waging wars around the world, the US has never reflected on its own mistakes, but always uses "human rights" and "democracy" as a tool to denounce other countries and meddle in others' internal affairs.

At the Third Committee of the 76th Session of the UN General Assembly, to encounter the US' groundless accusations against China, 18 Middle Eastern countries, together with nearly 100 other countries, spoke up for justice in support of China through joint or individual statements and submitting joint letters, opposing interference in the internal affairs of other countries on the pretext of "protecting human rights". What's more, developing countries, including China and Middle Eastern countries, called upon all states to oppose unilateral compulsory measures and racial discrimination, and promote equitable accessibility of COVID-19 vaccines.

The US' double standards can also be seen on the issue of nuclear non-proliferation. The AUKUS security pact between the UK, the US and Australia will enable Australia to build nuclear-powered submarines, causing serious risk of nuclear proliferation. In sharp contrast, the US invaded Iraq in 2003 merely on suspicion of its possessing of mass destruction weapons; it is also exerting "maximum pressure" on Iran and unilaterally imposed sanctions against the country under the name of "nonproliferation".

In fact, the US has been providing shelter and support for its allies while suppressing and imposing sanctions on those who dare to hold different views, which is a clear violation of the fundamental principles and core obligations of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, a blow to the international nuclear non-proliferation regime, and a threat to world peace and stability.

The First Committee of the UN General Assembly recently approved a resolution proposed by China, Promoting International Cooperation on Peaceful Uses in the Context of International Security. A total of 16 countries from the Middle East voted in favor of the resolution, supporting with concrete action the removal of unreasonable restrictions on peaceful uses of science and technology for developing countries while fulfilling obligations on non-proliferation, and once again making contribution to multilateralism, world peace and common development.

When it comes to combating terrorism, China and Middle Eastern countries share the view that terrorism is the common enemy of humanity, and there is no distinction between "good" and "bad" terrorists. However, with deep-rooted arrogance, the US has been attempting to link terrorism with a particular religion or ethnicity. It has also been using anti-terrorism measures as a political tool to serve its own interests, in the name of protecting human rights and religious freedom. For example, regardless of the counterterrorism efforts and peaceful development in China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, the US and its Western allies have constantly manipulated public opinion by fabricating lies like "genocide", a clear demonstration of its double standards on counterterrorism and attempts to contain China's development.

In the face of the ever-increasing global challenges, no country can detach itself from this interconnected world, and more importantly, no country is capable of arrogating all powers to itself. In a community with a shared future for mankind, China and Middle Eastern countries have been supporting and helping each other in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, standing side by side with each other in upholding multilateralism, cooperation and common development.

If the US and other Western countries continue to indulge in double standards, it will only accelerate the decline of Western-style democracy, with a growing split among allies over interests. Only by embracing mutual respect, mutual benefit, openness and inclusiveness could they contribute to world peace and stability.

The author is a commentator on Middle East affairs based in Beijing. The author contributed this article to China Watch, a think tank powered by China Daily. The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.