China warns North Korea about rocket test plans
| Beijing
China expressed concern Sunday over its ally聽North聽Korea's聽plans to launch a long-range rocket in mid-December.
All sides should work for stability and avoid acts that raise tensions, the Foreign Ministry said in a brief statement. It acknowledged聽North聽Korea's聽right to the peaceful use of outer space, but said that had to be harmonized with restrictions including those set by the United Nations Security Council.
"We hope all relevant parties will do that which benefits peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, hope all sides will respond calmly and avoid exacerbating the situation," ministry spokesman Qin Gang said in the statement.
The聽North聽Korean launch, set for Dec. 10 to 22, is likely to heighten already strained tensions with Washington and Seoul as South聽Korea聽plans to hold a presidential election on Dec. 19 and President Barack Obama prepares to begin his second term.
It would be聽North聽Korea's聽second launch attempt under leader Kim Jong-un, who took power following his father Kim Jong-il's death nearly a year ago. That first launch eight months ago earned聽North聽Korea widespread international condemnation, despite ending in an embarrassing misfire.
Some analysts have expressed skepticism that聽North聽Korea聽has corrected whatever caused the first failure. North聽Korea聽says the rocket will be mounted with a polar-orbiting Earth observation satellite.
Despite its close ties to聽North聽Korea, previous Chinese statements have had little perceptible effect.
China is聽North聽Korea's聽only major political ally and its main source of food and fuel for keeping the聽North's moribund economy from collapsing. However, Beijing has been highly resistant to using any of its leverage to moderate聽North聽Korea's聽behavior, fearing that could cause an implosion leading to political chaos and a wave of refugees crossing its border.
