By Yi Whan-woo
China, the United States, Japan and other members of the United Nations joined condemning North Korea for its ballistic missile test, Sunday.
The missile launch was especially was seen as a snub at China, as it came on the eve of China’s opening of a forum on the new Silk Road plan.
Titled “One Belt, One Road,” the plan is aimed at establishing a trade route linking China with its neighbors in Asia, Europe and the Middle East. The two Koreas were invited for the two-day forum that runs through Tuesday in Beijing.
The U.S. has been opposed to inviting North Korea to the forum.
“The U.N. Security Council (UNSC) has definite rules concerning North Korea’s missile technology,’ the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement. “China opposed North Korea’s missile activities that are against the UNSC resolutions.”
It, however, urged the regional neighbors to “remain calm,” saying “The situation on the Korean Peninsula is complex and all relevant parties should not worsen the tension in the region.”
The White House said North Korea has been a “flagrant menace for far too long” and that the latest missile launch should serve as a call for stronger international sanctions against North Korea.
“South Korea and Japan have been watching this situation closely with us,” White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said. “The United States maintains our ironclad commitment to stand with our allies in the face of the serious threat posed by North Korea. Let this latest provocation serve as a call for all nations to implement far stronger sanctions against North Korea.” Citing that the missile landed in the waters between Russia and Japan, Spicer also said, “The president cannot imagine that Russia is pleased.”
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe convened a National Security Council (NSC) meeting, calling the missile launch “a grave threat to our country.”
“It is an apparent violation of the UNSC resolutions and we strongly protest North Korea,” He said.
He also met with reporters twice after the missile launch and condemned North Korea for its “intolerable” act.
The top delegates of South Korea, the U.S. and Japan, all members of the multilateral talks on North Korea’s denuclearization, held a telephone conversation with each other to discuss possible countermeasures on the missile launch.