New UN sanctions on DPRK in line with denuclearization goal, ministry says

By MO JINGXI | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2017-08-07 17:33

The new sanctions approved by the United Nations Security Council on Pyongyang are in line with the denuclearization goal on the Korean Peninsula, and reflect the unanimous position of all Security Council members, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on Monday.

However, new measures should avoid negatively impacting activities and cooperation that are not prohibited, he added.

The Security Council on Sunday unanimously adopted Resolution 2371 to impose new sanctions on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea that bans its exports of coal, iron, iron ore, lead, lead ore and seafood, in response to its two intercontinental ballistic missile tests in July.

"This resolution serves the objective of safeguarding peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the region, advancing the denuclearization process on the peninsula and upholding the international non-proliferation regime," Geng said in a statement released on the ministry's official website.

"It is also consistent with the spirit of the previous relevant Security Council resolutions and reflects the unanimous position of its members."

However, according to Geng, the resolution also stresses that the sanctions should avoid affecting economic activities and cooperation that are not prohibited by the resolution as well as activities that are not prohibited by the Security Council, including food and humanitarian aid.

"China calls on relevant countries to remain restrained and make positive efforts to ease tensions on the peninsula and properly resolve the Korean Peninsula issue," he said, reiterating China's position that the issue should be resolved through dialogue and negotiations.

China has put forward the "suspension for suspension" proposal, which calls for the suspension of nuclear and missile activities by the DPRK and the suspension of massive military exercises by the US and the ROK, and the "dual-track" approach which aims to promote parallel progress in achieving denuclearization and the establishment of a peace mechanism on the peninsula.

"The proposals are also consistent with the spirit of Resolution 2371," he said.