BEIJING: A Chinese ambassador to the United Nations (UN) urged all related parties to stay calm, exercise restraint and not make any moves that may escalate tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
According to Geng Shuang, China’s deputy permanent representative to the UN, China has noticed the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (DPRK) recent missile launch activities and that the U.S. and other countries have recently held joint military exercises in the region.
“The DPRK’s recent launch activities are all before and after military exercises, and they do not exist in isolation,” said Geng at a UN Security Council (UNSC) meeting on the Korean Peninsula situation.
Geng said the U.S. and other countries have carried out nuclear submarine cooperation and claimed to have deployed strategic assets in the region.
“These actions are intensifying conflicts, creating tension, and raising the risk of confrontation,” he said. “The settlement of the peninsula issue is inseparable from a sound political and security environment. It is hoped that the relevant countries will put regional peace and security first and create a favorable environment for peace and stability on the peninsula.”The DPRK launched two ballistic missiles toward its eastern waters on Thursday as the U.S. redeployed one of its aircraft carriers near the Korean Peninsula in response to the DPRK’s launch of a long-range ballistic missile over Japan on Tuesday.
Thursday’s launch was the sixth in less than two weeks.
The U.S. and the Republic of Korea (ROK) have responded by firing land-to-land ballistic missiles and precision-guided bombs dropped from fighter jets.
On September 26, the U.S. and the ROK launched joint maritime drills near the Korean Peninsula, involving a U.S. aircraft carrier and over 20 warships from the two sides, marking the first time in about five years that a U.S. aircraft carrier visited the ROK for joint military exercises.
The U.S., the ROK and Japan also conducted anti-submarine drills near the Korean Peninsula on October 30.
The DPRK Foreign Ministry on Thursday released a statement, saying it “strongly condemns the U.S. and some of its vassal forces for unwarrantedly bringing to the UNSC the just counteraction taken by the Korean People’s Army against ROK-U.S. joint drills escalating the military tensions on the Korean peninsula.”
“The DPRK is watching the U.S. posing a serious threat to the stability of the situation on the Korean Peninsula and in its vicinity by redeploying the carrier task force in the waters off the Korean Peninsula,” the statement read.
According to ROK presidential office, ROK President Yoon Suk-yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida agreed during a phone call on Thursday that a clear message should be sent to the DPRK that its provocation would face the consequences.
–The Daily Mail-CGTN news exchange item
