China’s Foreign Ministry rebuts new US sanctions proposal against North Korea

BEIJING – China’s Foreign Ministry has responded to new sanctions imposed on North Korea by US President Obama by saying it opposes any unilateral sanctions and “any move to increase tensions on the Korean Peninsula is opposed”. Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said any unilateral sanctions must not hurt China’s interests.

“All the relevant parties, it is hoped, will exercise restraint, remain calm and avoid any provocative words or actions,” he added.

Obama’s executive order freezes any property in the United States owned by the North Korean Government and prohibits exports of goods from the US to the DPRK.

On Thursday, South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said that its top envoy for the stalled Six-Party Talks will visit China to discuss North Korean issues.

Meanwhile, South Korea and US are conducting joint military drills, code-named Key Resolve and Foal Eagle, said to be the largest yet. On Wednesday, Pyongyang made a statement that the provocation posed by Washington and Seoul’s drills is “pushing the situation to the point of explosion”.  www.webershandwick.cn (ATI).