The remarks from Xi, which build on Beijing’s earlier criticism of US strikes on Venezuela, came during a meeting with Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin in Beijing.

“The world today is undergoing changes and turbulence not seen in a century, with unilateral acts of hegemony severely undermining the international order,” Xi said, according to a statement from China’s foreign ministry.

“All countries should respect the development paths independently chosen by the peoples of other nations, abide by international law and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and major powers, in particular, should take the lead in doing so.”

Describing both China and Ireland as supporters of multilateralism, Xi urged greater coordination and cooperation in global affairs, calling to “jointly uphold the authority of the United Nations, and promote the development of the global governance system in a more just and reasonable direction”.