President Donald Trump praised China for abstaining from a U.N. Security Council vote Wednesday to condemn Syria's chemical weapons attack on civilians.
"I think it's wonderful that they abstained," Trump said during Wednesday's joint White House press conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. "As you know, very few people expected that."
His administration is "honored by the vote," Trump said. "That's the vote that should have taken place."
The resolution was introduced by the United States, the United Kingdom, and France, but failed as a result of a veto by Russia, which is working as an ally in the Syrian civil war.
Still, China's abstention rather than a "no" vote was seen as a sign of better relations just as U.S.-Russian relations might be at "an all-time low," partly as a result of Syria, according to Trump.
Trump met with Chinese President Xi Jinping at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate last week, and said Wednesday he is "not surprised" at China's abstention.