Japan and South
Korea said this month they would impose new unilateral sanctions
on North Korea over its nuclear and ballistic missile programs,
following a new U.N. Security Council resolution imposed on the
reclusive country.
North Korea has rejected the U.N. resolution, aimed at cutting
its annual export revenue by a quarter after its fifth and
largest nuclear test in September.
It says the resolution is a conspiracy hatched by the United
States to deny its sovereignty.
Both South Korea and Japan already have comprehensive unilateral
sanctions in place against North Korea.
Speaking by telephone to Kenji Kanasugi, director-general of
Asian and Oceanian affairs bureau at Japan's foreign ministry,
China's special envoy for the Korean peninsula Wu Dawei said
China had always pushed for denuclearization via talks.
"China is willing, along with the international community, to
fully and completely enforce Security Council resolutions, and
opposes unilateral sanctions imposed outside the framework of
Security Council resolutions," China's Foreign Ministry cited Wu
as saying.
"The situation on the Korean peninsula is complex and sensitive.
All sides should work hard together to maintain the peace and
stability of the Korean peninsula," Wu said.
China also hopes all parties can create conditions for the early
resumption of a six-party talks process, he said, referring to a
stalled dialogue mechanism involving the two Koreas, China,
Japan, the United States and Russia.
China is North Korea's sole major ally though their relations
have been seriously strained by North Korea's repeated missile
and nuclear tests.
While China has signed up for several rounds of U.N. sanctions
it has repeatedly said civilians and normal trade contacts
should not be affected.
China has long feared that cutting off North Korea completely
could lead to its collapse, pushing waves of refugees into
China's poor northeast.
(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Robert Birsel)
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