China Warns Against Korea Escalation

 North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (L) inspects a combined strike drill of the three services of the Korean People's Army

China has appealed for calm on the Korean peninsula, hours after North Korea said it had scrapped all peace pacts with the South and threatened pre-emptive nuclear strikes.

China, the North's only major ally, said all sides should continue to talk and avoid "further escalation".

Pyongyang has reacted angrily to another round of sanctions imposed by the UN over its recent nuclear test, reports the BBC.

The sanctions restrict luxury goods imports and banking activities.

Beijing provides fuel, food and diplomatic cover to Pyongyang.

It has repeatedly voted in favour of UN sanctions imposed over the nuclear programme, but enforcement of the measures in China is patchy.

Hua Chunying of China's foreign ministry told a news conference on Friday: "China and North Korea have normal country relations. At the same time, we also oppose North Korea's conducting of nuclear tests.

"China calls on the relevant parties to be calm and exercise restraint and avoid taking any further action that would cause any further escalations."

Chinese and US officials drafted the UN resolution passed on Thursday.

It contains similar measures to earlier resolutions, but the US said it had significantly strengthened the enforcement mechanisms.

In response, the North Korean regime published a message on the official KCNA news agency saying it had cancelled all non-aggression pacts with the South.

The two Koreas have signed a range of agreements over the years, including a 1991 pact on resolving disputes and avoiding military clashes.

However, analysts say the deals have had little practical effect.



-- ThisDaylive