China tells North Korea not to defy UN Security Council resolutions by its nuclear and missile activities following Pyongyang’s test-launch of a mid-range ballistic missile

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (Photo by AFP)

China has called on North Korea not to defy UN Security Council resolutions by its nuclear and missile activities following Pyongyang’s test-launch of a mid-range ballistic missile.

“We urge North Korea to not do anything to again violate UN Security Council resolutions,” Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi declared in a statement on Tuesday.

“At the same time, we hope all parties can maintain restraint, not be influenced by every single incident, ... persist in carrying out Security Council resolutions on North Korea and persevere with the resolution of the issue through peaceful means, dialogue and consultation,” the statement added.

The statement came a day after the UNSC released a unanimously-backed statement, strongly censuring North Korea’s latest missile test and urging the UN’s sanction committee to boost efforts towards implementing the sanctions imposed on Pyongyang.

The US-drafted statement was issued ahead of a closed-door council meeting set for Tuesday on the request of the United States, Japan and South Korea.

On Monday, the North said its test-launch of the missile a day earlier met all technical requirements, allowing the mass-production of the projectile, which it calls Pukguksong-2.

 This picture released by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on May 22, 2017 shows its medium-to-long range strategic ballistic missile Pukguksong-2 being launched in a test-fire. (Via AFP)

Pyongyang has made no secret of its efforts to develop a nuclear-tipped missile, ignoring calls to halt its weapons programs, even from China. Pyongyang insists that the program is necessary to counter US threats against the country.

Washington and Pyongyang have recently exchanged a barrage of military threats amid rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

US President Donald Trump has warned of a potential “major, major conflict” with North Korea over its weapons programs.

Wang’s statement further said Beijing had seen a “new change” on the part of South Korea with its willingness to “actively seek appropriate channels for dealing with the THAAD missile systems issue.”

“We hope South Korea can ... quickly pull out the thorn stuck in the throat of bilateral relations,” Wang added.

Relations between Beijing and Seoul have deteriorated over South Korea’s hosting of the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile system, but they have taken on a more conciliatory tone with the election earlier this month of South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

The United States and South Korea have said the deployment is aimed at countering threats from North Korea.

China has been infuriated by the US deployment of THAAD in South Korea, insisting that it poses a threat to its security and will do nothing to ease tensions with Pyongyang.