China urges DPRK to halt nuclear program

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China's Ambassador to the United Nations Liu Jieyi urged the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to "take seriously the expectations and will of the international community" to halt its nuclear and ballistic missile development and called on all relevant parties to resume negotiations "sooner rather than later" on Monday.

Liu made the remarks after the UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution to impose fresh sanctions on the DPRK over its hydrogen bomb test on September 3, which was in violation of previous Security Council resolutions.

China has been calling for the suspension of DPRK's nuclear and missile testing on the one hand and a halt to joint US-S. Korea military exercises on the other. The "double suspension" approach has also been endorsed by Russia.

Liu urged all parties to remain "cool-headed" and not to stoke tensions.

DPRK leader Kim Jong Un attends a celebration for nuclear scientists and engineers who contributed to a hydrogen bomb test on September 3. /Reuters Photo

The US is 'not looking for war'

Monday's resolution imposes a ban on DPRK's textile exports, a ban on condensates and natural gas liquids, a cap of two million barrels a year on refined petroleum products, and a cap on crude oil exports to the DPRK at current levels.

Textiles were DPRK's second-biggest export after coal and other minerals in 2016, totaling 752 million US dollars, according to data from the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency.

The resolution followed a previous Security Council resolution on August 5, which imposed a ban on the export of coal, iron, iron ore, lead, lead ore, and seafood from the DPRK.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said on Monday that the United States is not looking for war with the DPRK and that Pyongyang has "not yet passed the point of no return."

"If it agrees to stop its nuclear program, it can reclaim its future. If it proves it can live in peace, the world will live in peace with it," she told the Security Council.

Pyongyang warned the United States on Monday that it would pay a "due price" for spearheading efforts on UN sanctions.

"The world will witness how the DPRK tames the US gangsters by taking a series of actions tougher than they have ever envisaged," DPRK's Foreign Ministry said in a statement carried by the official KCNA news agency.

China reiterates opposition to THAAD

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on Tuesday that China hopes the UN Security Council resolution can be fully and comprehensively carried out.

"The DPRK conducted another nuclear test despite widespread opposition from the international community, which was in serious violation of UN Security Council resolutions," he said. "China agrees to necessary measures adopted by the Security Council."

Geng urged the DPRK to follow the resolution and halt its nuclear and missile programs and also called on the US and S. Korea not to make any move that could further complicate the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

CGTN Graphic

"The problem on the peninsula must be resolved in a peaceful way. There is no way out for military solutions," he stressed. "China will never allow war or chaos on the peninsula."

He called on relevant parties to seriously consider China's "double suspension" approach and "dual track" proposal of advancing denuclearization and establishing a peace mechanism in parallel.

Geng also noted that China is strongly against the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in S. Korea, which does not contribute to the denuclearization and stability of the Korean Peninsula in the long run.

THAAD deployment was completed in S. Korea last week amid protests from the local residents.

(With inputs from Reuters, Xinhua)

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