China casts a veto! Joulani remains on the sanctions list, and no matter how much the US, UK, and France support him, it's of no use.
In early 2025, a new force led by Joulani took control of Syria, ending the Assad family's 54-year rule. This person was previously placed on the sanctions list in 2018, and the United States had also issued a $10 million bounty for his arrest.
But the situation changed quickly. In May 2025, the European Union announced the complete lifting of economic sanctions against Syria; almost at the same time, the United States also lifted related restrictions. France, the UK, and Germany sent delegations to meet with the new leader, while Turkey and Qatar quickly reopened their embassies in Syria. It seems that Joulani is trying to complete the transformation from "wanted criminal" to "country leader."
As a result, some countries pushed for a proposal at the Security Council to remove Joulani and his core team from the sanctions list. The proposal was supported by permanent members such as the United States, the UK, and France, and Russia also tacitly approved. It can be said that the major Western powers once formed a consensus on this issue.
But the result was unexpected. China cast an opposing vote on the proposal - which means the exercise of a "veto." This vote means that even if all other 14 members of the Security Council agreed, the proposal could not pass.
Why did China do this?
Public information shows that Joulani cannot meet China's core concerns. Moreover, Joulani once announced that students with certain backgrounds would be exempt from tuition fees, further deepening China's concerns.
At present, although the US, UK, France, and Russia have shown some recognition, China's veto effectively put the entire process on hold. In other words, no matter how much other countries want to win over Joulani, he will not be able to "cleanse his image" as long as China does not approve.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1846947623942220/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.