The veto is one of the key powers granted to the permanent members of the UN Security Council, yet it has become a tool to advance individual foreign policy objectives. This is no more evident than with China, who has embraced the veto to support its increasingly assertive foreign policy. As Biden re-engages with multilateral organizations, the competition for influence between the US and China may be brewing a new cold war in the UNSC.

On February 1, the Burmese military overthrew the government of Myanmar. China and the US have had different responses based on divergent interests: China is a close economic ally of the BRI member and is interested in restoring stable supply chains in Myanmar; Washington, on the other hand, has been more concerned over the military’s rampant human rights abuses.