China is undergoing profound reforms without falling into an abyss of disorder, said a state-run Chinese daily which noted that the process is unique, "which is a result of China's willingness to open up but walk its own way".
An editorial "China's North Korean vote stems from principle" in the Global Times said that UN General Assembly on Thursday passed a resolution to condemn North Korea's "ongoing systematic, widespread and gross violations of human rights."
The resolution received 119 votes in favour, 19 against, and 48 abstentions. China, Russia, Cuba and Syria voted against it.
The daily said: "China's vote does not mean we endorse the human rights situation in North Korea. The vote is based on China's principle of no interference in other countries' internal affairs."
It added that North Korea should be aware of the fact that "the Chinese government made the vote under certain domestic pressures. It should also be grateful".
The editorial said: "...the Chinese government must keep a sober mind when dealing with diplomatic relations with North Korea".
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It went on to say that although "forceful orders from outside are not acceptable, a certain degree of external pressure is not necessarily a bad thing".
"This is what China has learned in the past decades. China has adopted quite a few human rights concepts from the West. Today many of these concepts have become an integral part of Chinese society."
The daily admitted that "the process is full of conflicts", but added that "China has upheld its own political system, without reshaping it in the way the West hoped. This has ensured China's stability".
"The country is undergoing profound reforms without falling into an abyss of disorder.
"China has been resisting Western pressures, but at the same time absorbing what is useful. During the process of absorption, we have not fallen under the West's ideological control."
It said that the process is unique, "which is a result of China's willingness to open up but walk its own way. History will prove such uniqueness led to China's success".