Opportunistic rule-changing 'not valid'

Changing rules to suit only yourself is not a valid international principle, and countries should instead increase their competitiveness, a senior Chinese diplomat said.

Le Yucheng, assistant foreign minister, said that China's diplomacy has adhered to international principles and rules.

He said it is inappropriate for some countries to be self-serving about international rules, following them when they work in one's favor and changing or abandoning them when they don't.

"Some European countries and the United States set the rules and championed globalization, and they have been the biggest beneficiaries," he said. "Now, when they are no longer happy about these rules, they want to use their privileged position to remake them to their own advantage."

He added that they would be better off increasing their competitiveness than resorting to changing the rules by established privileges.

Le also said developing economies, including China, have more reason to complain about the unfairness of longstanding international rules because they have lived with them for decades.

He said that to limit the advantages of some developing economies, investment, trade and environmental protection rules have been changed frequently and easily to favor the interests of some European countries and the US.

"We can't print the US dollar and we can't appoint the heads of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund," he said.

"China has to sell rare earth minerals at a low price, but it is barred from buying the weapons and high-tech products made with these minerals," he said. "All we're allowed to buy are soybeans and airplanes."

Dong Manyuan, deputy director of the China Institute of International Studies, said some countries have neglected the hard work of developing economies.

"The rise of developing economies is not based on opportunism," he said. "Regardless of how the rules were changed, the competitiveness of these countries would not be smothered. Developing economies still have advantages."

He said future international rules can't be made by only a certain circle of countries, and only to their benefit, but should be made by collective negotiation.

"Countries, large and small, rich and poor, should all be involved in the process, otherwise the rules could never satisfy everyone," he said.

But Dong also noted that whether less powerful countries can join the decision-making process depends on the collective development of emerging and developing economies, and there is a long way to go.

Simon Ajiku, counselor at the embassy of the Republic of Uganda, said it is unfair for some advanced economies to change international rules unilaterally.

"The rules can't benefit only the long-established powers," he said.

He added that BRICS countries would play a significant role in the future, leading the way to ensure the new international rules are fair.

"They almost represent all the continents and their development experiences could be learned by other less developed countries," he said.