China's Foreign Ministry Responds to North Korean Missile Test: Face the Root Causes of the Peninsula Issue and Stick to a Political Settlement
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning responded on November 2 to North Korea's October 31 tactical ballistic missile submunition warhead power test at a regular press conference in Beijing.
A Yonhap News Agency reporter noted that North Korea's Missile Administration conducted the test on October 31, at a time when South Korea had proposed military talks with the North and had received no response, and asked for China's comment.
Mao said China had noted the reports, and had also noted that the North Korean side had stated its position repeatedly in response to recent military moves by the United States, South Korea and Japan. 'We hope the parties concerned will face the root causes of the Peninsula issue squarely, stick to the direction of a political settlement, and make efforts to ease tensions and maintain regional peace and stability,' she said.
At the same briefing, the reporter also asked about the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation's October 31 finding that North Korea was behind the roughly $6.3 billion hack of cryptocurrency exchange Binance, and President Donald Trump's remark that he would discuss the matter with North Korea if it proved true. 'On your second question, we are not aware of the specifics,' Mao said.
Pyongyang has already spoken on the test itself: its defense research institution said it had completed a cluster-bomb warhead power evaluation test and that the warheads could be fielded by the end of the year. The FBI formally attributed the Binance theft to North Korea on October 31.
Related: North Korea: KCNA Says Defense Institute Tested Cluster Warhead, Fielding Possible by Year-End
Related: FBI Formally Attributes $6 Billion-Plus Binance Theft to North Korea
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：中国外交部发言人毛宁在例行记者会上（资料图）。中国新闻社，CC BY 3.0，经Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning at a regular press conference (file photo). China News Service, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
