Growing US-China rivalry seen fueling UN paralysis amid virus crisis

The flag of the UN outside the New York headquarters of the world body, seen in a photo taken on September 23, 2019. [AFP]

For nearly a decade, the UN Security Council has been frequently paralyzed by Russia's obstinacy over the Syrian crisis. Today, however, it is the US-China rivalry that has infected a growing array of issues, according to officials and diplomats.