Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying  said the entire move violated the UN Charter.

"As always, we oppose the use of force in international relations and call for respect for other countries' sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity," Hua Chunying said in a statement.

"Any unilateral military action bypassing the Security Council runs contrary to the purpose and principles of the UN Charter and violates the principles of international law and the basic norms governing international relations, and will further complicate the Syrian issue," the statement said.

China urged nations to return to the framework of international law.

"China urges the relevant parties to return to the framework of international law and resolve the issue through dialogue and negotiation," read the statement.

The US, UK and France have bombed three government sites in Syria in an early morning operation targeting alleged chemical weapons facilities, they say, reported the BBC.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has condemned the incident.

"Russia strongly condemns the attack on Syria where Russian servicemen are helping the legitimate government in the war on terrorism," the Kremlin press office quoted Putin as saying as reported by TASS news agency.

Collaborating with the UK and France, US President Donald Trump on Friday announced that he has approved US military strikes against chemical weapon sites in Syria.

The strikes have been approved by the US in response to alleged chemical attacks in Syrian town of Douma last week.

"I ordered the United States armed forces to launch precision strikes on targets associated with the chemical weapon capabilities of Syrian dictator of Bashar al-Assad,"  the US President was quoted as saying by CNN.

"The combined American, British and French response to these atrocities will integrate all instruments of our national power: military, economic and diplomatic," he said.

British PM Theresa May has also confirmed her country's involvement in the matter.

In a statement, she said: "This evening I have authorised British armed forces to conduct co-ordinated and targeted strikes to degrade the Syrian Regime’s chemical weapons capability and deter their use."

"We are acting together with our American and French allies," she said.

A least 70 people were killed in alleged chemical strikes in Douma last week.
 

Image: UN website