China urges N Korea dialogue

UNITED NATIONS: China’s foreign minister said on Sunday new UN security council sanctions on North Korea were the right response to a series of missile tests, but dialogue was vital to resolve a complex and sensitive issue now at a “critical juncture”.

Wang Yi said the UN resolution’s call for a return to talks emphasised that diplomatic and peaceful means were necessary to avoid tensions and it was necessary to prevent the crisis from escalating.

“After the implementation of the resolutions, the Korean peninsula issue enters into a critical juncture,” Wang said on the sidelines of a regional foreign ministers’ meeting in Manila.

“We call on all sides to take a responsible attitude when making judgements and taking actions .... We cannot do one and neglect the other. Sanctions are needed but sanctions are not the final goal,” Wang said.

The latest, US-drafted resolution bans North Korean exports of coal, iron, iron ore, lead, lead ore and seafood and prohibits countries from hiring additional North Korean labourers.

The North Korea standoff is expected to dominate Monday’s Asean Regional Forum (ARF), which gathers 27 foreign ministers — including those of Russia, Japan, the United States, China and North and South Korea — to discuss security issues.

Wang met his North Korean counterpart Ri Yong Ho on Sunday for bilateral talks that started off in a cordial way.

“We had very thorough talks,” Wang said afterwards. “The Chinese side urged the North Korean side to calmly handle the resolutions and to not do anything unbeneficial towards the international community such as a nuclear test.”