China opposes North’s missile tests
US, South Korea and Japan request urgent UN talks
BEIJING // China opposes North Korean missile tests that run contrary to UN resolutions, the foreign ministry said yesterday after Pyongyang said it had successfully test-fired a new type of medium to long-range ballistic missile the previous day.
The launch on Sunday is seen as the first test of US president Donald Trump’s promise to get tough on the isolated nation that tested nuclear devices and ballistic missiles last year at an unprecedented rate.
The missile, launched as Mr Trump hosted Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe in Florida, is believed to have flown about 500 kilometres before splashing down in international waters.
The United States, Japan and South Korea requested urgent diplomatic talks at the United Nations yesterday over the missile launch, with Seoul condemning what it called “serious military and security threats” and predicting more such tests.
After returning to Japan, Mr Abe said that he believed the US stance towards North Korea would become much tougher.
“There will be a number of different strategies on the table,” Mr Abe said, without giving details. He said dealing with North Korea had been a major theme of his talks with Mr Trump. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Beijing opposed the launch, which violated UN Security Council resolutions that call for an end to North Korea’s nuclear and missile tests.
China is North Korea’s largest source of trade and aid, and Mr Trump has complained that Beijing is not doing enough to pressure it. Beijing counters that its influence is overstated and suggests that Washington’s refusal to talk directly to North Korea is impeding progress toward a solution.
“The root cause of the nuclear missile issue is its differences with the US and South Korea,” Mr Geng said.
He said China had been “completely and comprehensively” implementing security council resolutions on the nuclear issue. Beijing “has been striving for a settlement of the Korean Peninsula issue by proactively engaging in mediation and pro- moting peace talks”, he said.
Mr Geng urged all sides to refrain from provocative action and said China would continue participating in security council discussions in a constructive and responsible way.
China, he said, had long been encouraging Seoul and Washington to have a dialogue with Pyongyang. North Korean news agency KCNA said the country’s leader Kim Jong-un “expressed great satisfaction over the possession of another powerful nuclear attack means, which adds to the tremendous might of the country”.
The missile was launched near the western city of Kusong and flew east before falling into the Sea of Japan, South Korea’s defence ministry said. Photos released by KCNA showed the missile blasting into the sky with a smiling Mr Kim watching from the command centre, standing on the launch field surrounded by dozens of cheering soldiers and scientists.
It said Mr Kim “personally guided” preparations for the test, which it described as a surface- to- surface medium long- range Pukguksong- 2, a “Korean-style new type strategic weapon system”. KCNA said the missile was powered by a solid-fuel engine – which requires a far shorter refuelling time than conventional liquid fuel- powered missiles, according to Yun Duk- min of the Institute for Foreign Affairs and Security in Seoul.
“They leave little warning time and therefore pose greater threat to opponents,” he said. Such missiles are harder to detect before launch by satellite surveillance. The North has previously made claims for its weapons capabilities that left analysts unconvinced. But Seoul’s military confirmed the North’s claim on the solid-fuel engine, suggesting progress.
Pyongyang’s latest announcement was the first time a Pukguksong- 2 had been mentioned. In August, it test-fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile marked as a Pukguksong-1, a name which translates as North Star.
North Korea claims it has developed an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of hitting the US mainland but it has not tested one as yet.