China calls for easing of United Nations sanctions on North Korea
- A Chinese-Russian resolution aimed at easing controls is a step in the ‘right direction’, Beijing’s ambassador to the UN says
- Proposal calls for an end to several sanctions agreed in 2017, notably a ban on buying textile and seafood products from North Korea
A Chinese-Russian resolution aimed at easing international sanctions on North Korea is a “timely” step in the “right direction”, China’s ambassador to the United Nations Zhang Jun said on Friday.
His comments came just days after Pyongyang, deeply frustrated that those sanctions remain in place despite its suspension of nuclear and long-range missile testing, announced it no longer felt bound by the moratorium.
Two previous Security Council sessions on the Chinese-Russian proposal failed to produce agreement, but Zhang said Beijing hoped “that we can build up more consensus”.
“We can really contribute to the political dialogue between the parties concerned, especially between the United States and DPRK,” he said, using the short form of North Korea’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
Asked when the council might next vote on the draft resolution, Zhang said only that consultations were continuing.
When Pyongyang announced the end of its moratorium on Wednesday, the US response was cautiously worded. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to “take a different course” and said Washington wanted “peace, not confrontation.”