N. Korea threats: China calls for ‘calm and restraint’

CHINA: China called for “calm and restraint” Friday after North Korea responded to new UN sanctions with fresh threats of nuclear war and promises to scrap peace agreements.

“China calls on relevant parties to exercise calm and restraint, and avoid actions that might further escalate tensions,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters in Beijing.

“The current situation on the peninsula is highly complex and sensitive” and China “expresses concern”, she said, re-iterating Beijing's longstanding position. Beijing is Pyongyang's sole major ally and by far its biggest trading partner, including being its primary energy supplier, but voted Thursday for the UN resolution that stiffened sanctions against the North following its nuclear test last month.

AFP