China to back UNSC’s North Korea resolution
January 15, 2016, 9:56 am

North Korea previously conducted three nuclear tests: in 2006, in 2009 and in 2013. In response, the United Nations Security Council imposed various sanctions on Pyongyang [Xinhua]

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei said the focus of the UNSC must be on “denuclearization”.

“China will support UN Security Council’s response to North Korea’s latest nuclear tests,” Hong said at a press briefing in Beijing. “The resolution should focus on denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, countering the expansion of nuclear weapons and ensuring peace and stability in North-East Asia.”

South Korean President Park Geun-hye had said earlier she was confident of China’s backing for the latest UNSC resolution on North Korea.

“I am certain that China is very well aware if such a strong will isn’t followed by necessary steps, we will not be able to stop the North’s fifth and sixth nuclear tests and we cannot guarantee true peace and stability,” Park said.

“I believe the Chinese government will not allow the situation on the Korean peninsula to deteriorate further.”

North Korea said last week it had tested a powerful hydrogen bomb. A statement circulated by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said the test had had “no adverse impacts on the environmental situation.” Now, according to the statement, North Korea “possesses the strongest deterrent forces.”

But the United States and various experts doubt that, as the blast was roughly the same size as that from its previous test, of an atomic bomb, in 2013.

With tension high on the border after the North’s fourth nuclear test on Wednesday last week, South Korean forces fired shots towards what Yonhap News Agency said was a suspected North Korean drone.

North Korea previously conducted three nuclear tests: in 2006, in 2009 and in 2013. In response, the United Nations Security Council imposed various sanctions on Pyongyang. In the past two years, North Korea refrained from nuclear tests limiting itself to ballistic missile launches as a response to US-South Korea large-scale military drills.

TBP and Agencies