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Spokesperson says China respects African decisions to leave ICC

Xinhua, October 26, 2016 Adjust font size:

China respects some African countries' decisions to leave the International Criminal Court (ICC) and understands their long-standing concerns with the court, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Wednesday.

Spokesperson Lu Kang's remarks came after Gambia announced its withdrawal from the ICC on Tuesday, for the court's "unfairly targeting Africa," following similar decisions by South Africa and Burundi.

The Hague-based tribunal is involved in "the persecution of Africans, and especially their leaders" while ignoring crimes committed by the West, according to Gambia's Information Minister Sheriff Baba Bojang.

While supporting efforts made by the international community to bring perpetrators to justice, China also believes that the ICC should strictly abide by the principle of supplementary jurisdiction, and seriously respect the international law principles about national sovereignty and exemption, Lu said.

He called on the ICC to exercise its functions prudently in accordance with law, and win confidence and respect from the international community with objective and justified rulings. Endi