North Korea: China urges neighbour to stop missile tests

Wang Yi said he urged Ri Yong-ho to abide by UN
resolutions in a meeting on Sunday in the Philippines.
He did not say how Mr Ri replied.
Saturday's resolution banning North Korean exports and
limiting investments in the country was passed
unanimously.
Mr Wang said sanctions were needed, but "are not the
final goal", and he urged dialogue. He said he had told
North Korea to remain calm, and not provoke the
international community with more tests.
The Chinese envoy also urged the US and South Korea
not to increase tensions, saying that the situation was
at a "critical point", but also a juncture at which talks
could be resumed.
North Korea: 'All US within missile range'
Pyongyang's missile programme explained
US envoy to the UN Nikki Haley earlier said North
Korea was facing "the most stringent set of sanctions
on any country in a generation".
Pyongyang tested two intercontinental ballistic missiles
in July, claiming it now had the ability to hit the US.
However, experts doubt the missiles can hit their
targets.
The tests were condemned by South Korea, Japan and
the US, and prompted the drafting of the new UN
sanctions.
What are the new sanctions?
Importing coal, seafood, iron and iron ore, lead and
lead ore from North Korea is banned
Countries cannot receive new North Korean
workers
No new joint ventures with North Korean entities or
individuals
No new investment in existing joint ventures
More individuals targeted with travel bans and
assets freezes
Member states to report to Security Council within
90 days on how they have implemented resolution
China, North Korea's only international ally and a veto-
wielding member of the UN Security Council, voted in
favour of the resolution after negotiations with the US
that Ms Haley said were "tough".
Beijing has often protected Pyongyang from harmful
resolutions in the past.
Russia, which the US has also criticised for its
economic links with North Korea, also voted for the
sanctions.
Top diplomats including US Secretary of State Rex
Tillerson are gathered for a regional forum under the
aegis of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(Asean) in the Philippines' capital, Manila.
North Korea's nuclear programme is expected to be a
major issue but there are no plans for a bilateral
meeting between Mr Tillerson and the North Korean
representative.
Speaking earlier as he sat down for talks with South
Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, Mr Tillerson
said the sanctions were a "good outcome".
Can the US defend itself against North Korea?
Analysis: A sense of urgency
Jonathan Head, BBC South East Asia Correspondent
The steady advances in North Korean missile
technology have lent a sense of urgency to US
diplomacy in Asia, and Rex Tillerson's attendance at
the Asean Regional Forum is well-timed.
The US wants a show of unity at this forum in
condemning North Korea - uniquely, Mr Tillerson will
find himself in the same room as his North Korean
counterpart, Ri Yong-ho, although the two are very
unlikely to speak to one another.
Mr Tillerson will also be holding bilateral meetings with
his Russian and Chinese counterparts. Just by being at
this diplomatic talkfest Rex Tillerson will offer a striking
change of tone. In the first seven months of the Trump
administration his voice has been subdued on Asia,
whereas the president's comments have been seen by
many Asian officials as erratic and at times
inflammatory.
However there are important differences over how best
to deal with North Korea. The US believes pressure
must be ramped up on Pyongyang, to get it to reverse,
not just freeze, its nuclear and missile programmes.
Many Asian countries fear the Trump administration's
growing anxiety and anger over North Korea's missile
tests risk escalating into a dangerous confrontation;
there is still a broad consensus in this region that
engagement, however frustrating, is the only way
forward - so the US bid to have North Korea expelled
from the Asean Regional Forum will meet plenty of
resistance.
'Costly for the regime'
US President Donald Trump tweeted to say the
sanctions would cost the North more than $1bn
(£0.7bn).
The export of coal, ore and other raw materials to
China is one of North Korea's few sources of cash.
Estimates say that North Korea exports about $3bn
worth of goods each year - and the sanctions could
eliminate $1bn of that trade.
But China's participation will be key and top US
diplomats say they will be keeping a close eye on
Beijing to make sure it consistently abides by the
sanctions.
Earlier this year, China suspended imports of coal to
increase pressure on Pyongyang.
However, repeated sanctions have so far failed to deter
North Korea from continuing with its missile
development.
Beijing is also furious about the deployment of a US-
funded missile defence system in South Korea and
wants it to be scrapped.
North Korea has is yet to officially respond to the new
sanctions. A senior official told South Korea's Yonhap
news agency: "We will make our stance clear when
things are determined."
But ruling party newspaper Rodong Sinmun earlier said
nuclear action or sanctions taken by Washington would
lead to an "unimaginable sea of fire" engulfing the US.
What can the outside world do?
The isolated state's repeated missile and nuclear
weapon tests in breach of UN resolutions have been
condemned by neighbours in the region.
But South Korea says it may hold direct talks with the
North during the Asean summit.
Its foreign minister said she was willing to talk to her
counterpart from Pyongyang, if the chance "naturally
occurs".
Altogether, 27 nations are sending representatives to
the Asean Regional Forum.
Asean's 10 member states issued a joint statement
saying they had "grave concerns" over North Korea's
actions, which "seriously threaten peace".

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