China: Military action 'not an option' in DPRK issue

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China told the UN Security Council (UNSC) on Wednesday that military action was "not an option" for addressing the issue of the nuclear and missile program of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), at a time when US President Donald Trump claimed his patience over DPRK "is over".

"China has always been firmly opposed to chaos and conflict on the Korean Peninsula. Military means must not be an option in this regard," Chinese Ambassador to the UN Liu Jieyi said during the UN council's emergency session on Pyongyang's latest missile test on Tuesday.

The DPRK launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) into the Sea of Japan on Tuesday morning, saying it would fundamentally terminate the threat and intimidation of nuclear war from the US and secure the peace and security of the Korean Peninsula and the region.

The move raised condemns from nations.

US Ambassador Nikki Haley speaks at a UNSC emergency meeting on the DPRK in New York City on July 5, 2017. /VCG Photo

The US led a push at the UNSC for tougher sanctions on the DPRK, while warning the ICBM launch had drastically narrowed the path for diplomacy.

In a hard-hitting address to the council, US Ambassador Nikki Haley said the ICBM test had made "the world a more dangerous place," and that Washington was ready to use force if need be to deal with the threat of the nuclear-armed Pyongyang.

While Pyongyang's actions were "quickly closing off the possibility of a diplomatic solution," Haley said "there remains more that the international community can and must do, diplomatically and economically."

(With inputs from Xinhua and AFP)

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