China calls on all sides to “calm and restraint” after North Korea fires artillery near South Korean islands.
In response to North Korean shelling, South Korean marines on the border island of Yeonpyeong conducted a live-fire artillery drill, Yonhap news agency reported.
“As a neighbour of the peninsula, China has always advocated maintaining peace and stability on the peninsula and resolving peninsula issues through dialogue and consultation,” according to foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin.
China subsequently called for “calm and restraint” on all sides:
Under the current situation, we hope that all relevant parties maintain calm and restraint, refrain from taking actions that aggravate tensions, avoid further escalation of the situation, and create conditions for the resumption of meaningful dialogue, Wang Wenbin told reporters.
China’s close relations with North Korea were demonstrated earlier this week when Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke by phone with his counterpart Kim Jong Un on New Year’s Day.
The conversation between the two leaders led to the declaration of 2024 as the “China-DPRK Friendship Year,” China’s state-run Xinhua news agency reported, using an acronym for North Korea’s official name.
“In recent years, Xi said, the traditional friendly cooperation between China and the DPRK has entered a new historical period with joint efforts,” Xinhua reported.
