BEIJING, 22 December 2021, (TON): China, backed by Russia, blocked a US draft resolution in the UN Security Council that would have provided a system for humanitarian exceptions to economic sanctions imposed on Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.

A diplomat told AFP on condition of anonymity "they want the deletion" of a paragraph of the resolution allowing the sanctions committee responsible for Afghanistan to provide "exemptions from the freezing of assets" if it considers that "such a waiver is necessary to facilitate further assistance to Afghanistan.”

China, which is "opposed in principle to sanctions," is "against a case-by-case exemption mechanism," another diplomat confirmed.

China's UN Ambassador Zhang Jun said in a tweet "Humanitarian aid and life-saving assistance must be able to reach the Afghan people without any hindrance.”

"Artificially created conditions or restrictions are not acceptable."

Washington was hoping for approval on Monday of their draft by the other 14 members of the Security Council, so that they could put it to a vote on Tuesday, diplomatic sources said.