China supports further UN action against N.Korea: foreign minister

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday that China supports further moves made by the UN Security Council on North Korea, following the US’ proposal to the UN to impose an oil embargo.

Wang made the remarks during a press conference after a meeting with visiting Nepalese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara.

Sanctions are only one half of the key to solving the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, and the other half is dialogue, he said, adding that sanctions and dialogue should work together to solve the issue.

China strongly opposes the latest nuclear test made by North Korea, which Wang said violated UN Security Council resolutions.

The US wants the Security Council to impose an oil embargo on North Korea, ban the country’s exports of textiles and the hiring of North Korean workers abroad, and subject leader Kim Jong-un to an asset freeze and travel ban, according to a draft resolution seen by Reuters on Wednesday.

Wang called on the international community to push for the restarting of dialogue and expected all the members of the Security Council to maintain unity to reach a consensus and send a concerted message on the issue.

China announced the suspension of coal imports from North Korea starting February 19 until the end of 2017 to implement UN Resolution 2321.