Concern over satellite launch

Beijing keeps in touch with North Korea

BEIJING: A senior Chinese diplomat said China had conveyed its concern over North Korea’s plan to launch a satellite next month.

Director-general of the Department of Asian Affairs of the Foreign Ministry Luo Zhaohui said China’s Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Affairs Wu Dawei met DPRK Vice Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho on Monday.

Senior diplomats Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Zhijun and Assistant Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu have also kept in contact with all relevant sides.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said senior diplomats also exchanged views with ambassadors from North Korea, Russia, the United States, the Republic of Korea and Japan.

“China has expressed its stance and concern to all sides, and urged them to keep calm and restrained,” Luo said, adding that the stability of North Korea was in all sides’ interests.

Luo also called on the United States and North Korea to cherish the consensus they reached last month, saying that was the “dawn of peace” on the Korean peninsula.

“We hope the two sides will maintain contact and dialogue, and cherish the consensus,”

It is in all sides’ interests to maintain the peace and stability in North-east Asia and along the Korean peninsula. This is also their common responsibility. — LUO ZHAOHUI

Luo said.

Hong also urged all relevant sides to make joint efforts for an appropriate handling of current situation.

“It is in all sides’ interests to maintain the peace and stability in North-east Asia and along the Korean peninsula. This is also their common responsibility,” Hong said.

He added that China would keep close communication with all sides.

North Korea announced on March 16 that it would launch in April an “earth observation” satellite, or the Kwangmyongsong-3, using a long-range rocket to mark the 100th birthday of its late leader Kim Il-sung.