China and US agree to ‘very tough’ UN sanctions on North Korea
Beijing and Washington approve draft UN resolution against Pyongyang but tensions flare with Seoul over possible deployment over US missile system
China has agreed on a draft United Nations resolution that would impose tougher sanctions on North Korea amid growing criticism over its handling of Pyongyang’s recent provocations.
But scepticism remains over Beijing’s willingness to rein in its wayward neighbour amid a rare diplomatic spat between China and South Korea over the possible deployment of an American missile defence system.
China and the United States, both UN Security Council members and major stakeholders in the North Korean nuclear crisis, have agreed on a draft resolution that contains “very tough measures” and could be adopted soon, according to UN diplomats.
In a meeting in Washington on Wednesday, US National Security Adviser Susan Rice and China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, agreed on “the importance of a strong and united international response” to Pyongyang’s provocations, according to a White House statement. This would include a UN Security Council resolution that “goes beyond previous resolutions”, the statement said.
READ MORE: US calls for China to do more to rein in North Korea and ease South China Sea tensions
