China’s top diplomat said on Thursday that he agrees additional sanctions need to be imposed on North Korea, following the country’s sixth nuclear test on Sunday.
UPI is reporting Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the statement during a joint press conference in Beijing with Nepal’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Krishna Bahadur Mahara.
His words are being taken as a diplomatic signal that China could be willing to cooperate on further sanctions.
“Given the new unfolding developments on the Korean peninsula, China agrees with the point the UN Security Council should take necessary measures,” Wang reportedly said at the press conference. He added: “Sanctions are only half a solution, so dialogue and negotiations should be carried out together.”
The UPI story noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin seemed to oppose slapping new sanctions on the North during a recent meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in.