UNITED NATIONS, July 29: China on Thursday termed as “blackmail” the Japanese foreign minister’s remarks that Japan may be forced to cut off its UN contribution if it is not elected as the permanent member of the UN Security Council.

In an interview with Dawn, China’s UN Ambassador Wang Guangya said that “I think most UN members realize that it’s blackmail.” On Wednesday Japan’s Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura said that it could face strong domestic pressure to cut off its contribution to the UN if the country failed to win a permanent seat on the UN Security Council.

Asked whether China would block the G-4 resolution if it was adopted, Mr Wang said “I think not only China but many other countries will not go ahead with the approval of the G-4 resolution”.