It has been warfare in the economic sphere, and although we might not smell gunpowder, we still see bad consequences.

When an economic war goes on between the United States and Cuba, two countries whose national strength are not the same, the result is clear from the start.

On Tuesday, the United States once again refused an overwhelming international call to lift its 44-year-old economic embargo against Cuba. This is the 14th consecutive year the United States has refused the United Nations General Assembly's resolution to call for an end of its embargo against impoverished Cubans.

The island nation has been under a US embargo since 1961. The embargo, aimed at overthrowing President Fidel Castro's socialist regime, has been steadily tightened in recent years.

The United States also has specific provisions in place to penalize foreign companies that are alleged to have economic dealings with Cuba.

In addition to the imposed sanctions, American citizens are also barred from travelling to the neighboring country except with a government waiver.

This year's margin of approval - 182 in favor, four against, with one abstention - was the widest since the UN began introducing the resolution in 1992.

The almost unanimous passage of the resolution demonstrates an extensive consensus among UN members that rigid economic sanctions are not in line with the times.

In the resolution, the UN assembly reiterated that increasingly strengthened US measures against and restrictions on Cuba have adversely affected Cuban people at home and abroad.

It also expressed its concern about the implementation of unilateral US laws and regulations targeted at a third party.

The unyielding efforts made by the Cuban Government also show its earnest wish to be an equal member of the world's big family.

It is a pity that the United States still turns a deaf dear to prevailing international opinion. It stressed the suspension of its embargo is based upon Cuba reforming itself.

The current world should be an open and civilized one, in which a member can not expect to change or influence another with outdated and coercive means.

Every country has the right to choose its own development model and the time of reform. This right should be free from outside intervention.

Economic sanctions have proven to be a double-edged sword that can cause a lot of damage to both parties.

The Cuban economy has suffered direct damage of US$82 billion under US sanctions, according to the Cuban authorities. It is undoubtedly an astronomical figure for the small island.

However, while bringing enormous losses to Cuba, the United States has also let the chance of working with its neighbor and making a huge profit from doing so slip through its fingers.

Tuesday's UN resolution, just like previous ones, is legally non-binding, but is considered to be a barometer of international opinion.

The lack of support once again isolates the United States from the rest of the world on international occasions.

(China Daily November 14, 2005)