A senior Chinese diplomat on Thursday said China, the United States and other countries can still cooperate on the Syria issue, although they hold different stances on a recent UN Security Council draft resolution.

It is natural for the five permanent members of the UN Security Council to have differences, said vice Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai at a news briefing on Vice President Xi Jinping's upcoming visit to the United States.

He said that all the parties concerned want to see regional peace and stability, as well as a solution to the issue through dialogue.

China always believes that in international relations one should neither rashly use force or the threat of force, nor use external intervention to achieve regime change in other countries, Cui said.

He said these principles and positions are consistent with the interests of small, medium and developing countries, as well as the interests of the international community as a whole.

"I don't think these principles and positions would enrage anyone," Cui said.

Cui reiterated that China's veto of the draft resolution was a responsible approach. "It was entirely an independent decision in accordance with our principles and positions," he said.

China is very cautious in using its veto power as an permanent member of the UN Security Council, the vice foreign minister said, noting that China has only used the veto power eight times since it regained its legitimate seat at the United Nations in 1971.

A cautious attitude doesn't mean no veto, he said. "China will of course use its veto if it's necessary."

(Xinhua News Agency February 9, 2012)