Beijing expresses 'firm opposition' to DPRK nuke test
CHINA: China said it strongly opposes Pyongyang's third
nuclear test conducted on Tuesday, and observers are calling for calm and
restrain among all parties to avoid aggravating an already tense situation.
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea said on Tuesday it
has successfully conducted the third underground nuclear test, according to the
official KCNA news agency. The test was carried out in Kilju County of North
Hamkyung Province, and was done in a "safe and perfect" way with a
smaller A-bomb unlike previous ones, the KCNA said.
The test site is about 100 km from the China - DPRK border.
A statement by the Chinese Foreign Ministry said the nuclear
test was conducted "in disregard of the common opposition of the
international community", and "the Chinese government is firmly
opposed to this act".
"We strongly urge the DPRK to honor its commitment to
denuclearization and refrain from any move that may further worsen the
situation," it said.
Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi on Tuesday also summoned the
DPRK ambassador to China, Ji Jae-ryong. He urged Pyongyang to return to the
track of dialogue and negotiation. A commentary by China's official news agency
Xinhua said it has come to a point for parties concerned to act rationally to
create favorable conditions to revive long-stalled Six-Party Talks and
"avoid a disastrous fallout".
Yu Meihua, director of the Center for Korean Peninsula Peace
Studies under the China Reform Forum, said the situation has come to a critical
point, and a strong recipe is needed to deal with both the "symptoms and
root causes" of the issue. "The parties involved should persist in
effort to promote denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and Pyongyang's
concerns on security should be considered," Yu said. Pyongyang conducted
two nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009.
Both tests were denounced by UN Security Council
resolutions.
PEOPLES DAILY
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