In another instance of surging belligerence between the United States (US) and China, the latter has issued a statement that the US is the largest debtor owing the United Nations (UN) more than $2 billion, reports Hindustan Times.

China has asserted that as of 14 May, the US owes the UN $1.165 billion and $1.332 billion for the multilateral global body's regular budget and its peacekeeping budget respectively.

Riposting to China's attack, the US mission at the UN has dismissed the assertion and said that it is China's eagerness to distract the world from its cover-up and mismanagement of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It should be noted that the US is the biggest contributor to the UN budget, paying 22 percent of its annual running costs, a bill which adds up to around $3 billion; and 25 percent of its peacekeeping operations, which amount to some $6 billion a year.

US has also underscored that it had recently made a payment of $726 million towards the UN's peacekeeping budget and that it would pay the bulk of its remaining assessment by the end of the calendar year. It should be noted that the US follows an October to October calendar.

Also, the US has said that as of now, its remaining assessment towards the UN's peacekeeping budget stands at $888 million.