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| North Korea's last "satellite launch" |
By Shannon Tiezzi
China is “seriously concerned” about North Korea’s upcoming missile test, but thinks the U.S. is partly to blame.
North Korea has made it official that it’s planning a satellite launch, which many countries (including the United States and South Korea) view as a thinly veiled pretext for testing out a ballistic missile. North Korea told two United Nations agencies – the International Maritime Organization and International Telecommunication Union – that it plans to launch a satellite between February 8 and 25. That news will bring renewed urgency to efforts to put together a sanctions package at the United Nations Security Council – a task that will largely rely on reaching consensus between the United States and China.
So far, neither side has shown any inclination of altering long held positions, with Washington insisting on isolating sanctions while Beijing advocates for dialogue with Pyongyang.
China has consistently urged all parties not to take actions that could increase tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Accordingly, its Foreign Ministry responded with some dismay at the news that North Korea is preparing a launch. China is “seriously concerned” about the launch, spokesperson Lu Kang said on Wednesday. He noted that North Korea “has the right to make peaceful use of the space, but this right is subject to restrictions of the Security Council resolutions.”
Read the full story at The Diplomat