China voted to end U.S.'s decades-long trade embargo against Cuba, in agreement with majority of the countries represented at Tuesday's U.N. General Assembly. The result was nearly unanimous and it's partially attributed to the country's recent efforts in fighting off Ebola in West Africa.

Only two out of the 193 country members present rejected the votes: the United States and its ally, Israel, while 188 voted yes and the rest abstained.

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Despite overwhelming votes, the U.S. is maintaining its stand.

The nonbinding resolution, titled Necessity of Ending the Economic, Commercial and Financial Embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba, was first introduced in 1992 upon Cuba's request. It has been resurrected year after year since then, making it the 23rd time the United Nations has appealed to the United States.

UN member states have long acknowledged the perils of the U.S. embargo against Cuba. Wang Min, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN, was quoted by Xinhua to point out that the embargo has become "more unreasonable than ever before".

He echoed the concerns of Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parilla who said the embargo has caused US$1 trillion in economic damages since 1962. Consequently, the U.S' unrelenting grip on the matter also costs its businesses at least US$1.2 billion every year.

In the assembly, Wang represented China's stand in such cases, which is to promote a mutual respect in the international community. He said its' every country's right to choose their system and "path of development".

The U.S.'s embargo against Cuba began in the Cold War, when communist Fidel Castro seized power. At the time, thousands of Cubans turned to the United States for refuge. Fifty years later, however, the fear cast by Castro's regime seemed to have grown frail. A report by CNN says younger Cuban Americans have now begun questioning the embargo's relevance.

Cuba has gotten more support since the meetings started two decades ago. In 1992, the votes favored ending the Cuban embargo at 59 to 3, with 71 countries abstaining and 46 refusing to participate.

TagsUS embargo against Cuba, Cuba embargo United Nations, Cuba embargo Wang Min, UN General Assembly, End Cuba embargo