China says it won’t allow war or chaos on Korean peninsula after backing latest UN sanctions

Sanctions and talks the best way to end crisis over Pyongyang’s development of nuclear weapons, says foreign ministry spokesman

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Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang says all sides should take action to ease tensions on the Korean peninsula. Photo: AP

Published: 10:41am, 12 Sep 2017Updated: 11:22pm, 12 Sep 2017

China said on Tuesday it will not allow war or chaos on the Korean peninsula after it endorsed the latest UN sanctions against Pyongyang following its nuclear test last week.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said in a statement that the United Nations Security Council resolution, which cuts the annual export of oil and fuel products from about 8.5 million barrels to 2 million, will be fully enforced.

But Geng added that the resolution also reiterated the need to maintain peace and stability across the Korean peninsula and Northeast Asia.

China also called for a diplomatic and political solution to the crisis and supported a return to the six-party talks pushing for denuclearisation, Geng said, stressing that all sides should take measures to ease tensions.

“The peninsula issue must be resolved peacefully. The military solution has no way out. China will not allow war or chaos on the Korean peninsula,” the statement said.

A truck with a North Korean licence plate at the Quanhe border crossing at Yanbian, Jilin province. The latest UN sanctions are the strongest yet against Pyongyang. Photo: AP

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