China on Tuesday urged North Korea to adopt a responsible
attitude and take no further action to aggravate tensions caused by
its recent nuclear test.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao made the remarks at a
regular news briefing amid speculation that North Korea might be
planning a second test.
"China resolutely opposes the nuclear test by North Korea,
insists on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and
opposes the proliferation of nuclear weapons," said Liu, calling
for negotiations to resolve the nuclear issue on the peninsula.
The UN Security Council unanimously approved a resolution on
Saturday against North Korea for its claimed nuclear test last
week.
The North Korean Foreign Ministry lashed out at the sanctions on
Tuesday, calling them "a declaration of war," and saying the
country will "deal merciless blows" if its sovereignty is
violated.
When asked to comment on North Korea's reaction, Liu said that
the consensus reached by the international community should "get a
positive response" from Pyongyang.
The UN resolution rules out military action against North Korea,
but calls on all countries to inspect inbound and outbound cargo to
prevent any illegal trafficking of weapons of mass destruction or
ballistic missiles.
Chinese border officials started checking trucks at the North
Korean border this week.
Liu said: "Sanctions are not the purpose. The purpose is to realize
the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."
He urged all sides to "keep calm and be restrained" and take
appropriate action to create favorable conditions for the
resumption of the six-party talks that involve China, Russia, the
US, Japan, and North and South Korea.
He said that China has always implemented Security Council
measures seriously and in a responsible manner.
"This time is no exception."
The spokesman also announced visits by US Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice this Friday and Saturday, and French President
Jacques Chirac from October 25 to 28.
Rice will meet Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing and other leaders to "exchange
views on Sino-US relations and the situation on the Korean
Peninsula."
The North Korean nuclear issue will definitely be on the agenda
during Chirac's visit as well, Liu said. China and France are both
permanent members of the UN Security Council.
At the briefing, Liu denied any link between the wire fence
being constructed on the China- North Korea border and the nuclear
test.
He said that China started building the fence and other
border-control facilities as early as 1990 to improve management
and control of the borders, adding that the situation on the border
is normal.
Liu did not confirm reports that some branches of the Bank of
China have halted remittances to North Korea.
Japan's Asahi Shimbun quoted a bank official as saying
the move was related to international sanctions on Pyongyang.
Responding to some Japanese lawmakers' suggestion to develop
nuclear weapons following North Korea's nuclear test, Liu called
for Japan to stick to its "Three Non-Nuclear Principles" and adopt
a responsible attitude to safeguard regional peace and
stability.
The principles, approved in 1971, state that Japan will not
produce, possess or allow nuclear weapons on its territory.
Japan, as a signatory of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of
Nuclear Weapons, must strictly fulfill its obligations, Liu
said.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said last Tuesday that Japan
would stick to its "Three Non-Nuclear Principles" and was not
planning to acquire nuclear weapons.
(China Daily, Xinhua News Agency October 18, 2006)