• Han says sovereignty of Gulf countries should be respected
• He calls for end to threat of force against Cuba
• Remarks follow Trump-Xi summit earlier this week

UNITED NATIONS, Sept 26 (Reuters) - China ​pushed back against the United States in its speech at the UN General Assembly on Saturday, ‌saying sovereignty of countries in the Gulf should be respected and urging the “relevant country” to stop threatening Cuba and lift its blockade on it. Vice President Han Zheng did not mention the US by name in his remarks. The US has launched a pressure campaign on ​Cuba that has largely blocked oil from reaching the island. The US war on Iran started with ​US-Israeli strikes in February.

The comments stood in sharp contrast to the bonhomie on display earlier ⁠this week at the White House, where President Donald Trump feted Chinese leader Xi Jinping with military flyovers and ​at a lavish state dinner. “Major countries should have special responsibilities for safeguarding international peace and security, and they should take ​the lead in complying with the rules, upholding rule of law, and doing what’s right,” Han said.

“China holds that the sovereignty and security of countries in the Middle East, including the Gulf, should be respected.” Trump warned Xi against providing support to Iran during the ​Washington talks and received assurances that China would not do so, the US ambassador to China said on Friday.

The ​warning followed reports that Beijing had supplied Iran with shoulder-fired air-defense missile launchers and that Tehran had found ways to evade ‌sanctions on ⁠its oil sales with Chinese help.

CALL FOR END OF BLOCKADE ON CUBA

On Cuba, Han said: “China urges the relevant country to immediately stop using threat of force against Cuba and immediately and completely lift the blockade and sanctions against Cuba.”