Beijing urges restraint as Tokyo plans to shoot down North Korean missiles
China has called on Japan and the United States to exercise restraint over the tension on the Korean Peninsula after Tokyo warned of shooting down North Korean missiles if necessary.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying warned on Monday that the "situation on the Korean Peninsula is extremely complicated and sensitive," noting the tension over North Korea's nuclear and missile programs should be resolved through peaceful means.
The comments were made after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and US President Donald Trump reaffirmed their tough stance on Pyongyang in a meeting earlier in the day, with Abe saying it was the time "for applying about maximum level of pressure on North Korea."
The Japanese premier noted that the interception and shooting down of North Korea's missiles were possible through the coordination of actions between Tokyo and Washington.
Trump also assured Abe that Japan would be capable of shooting down Pyongyang's missiles if Tokyo purchased military equipment from Washington.
The US president said, “The era of strategic patience is over,” and that Washington and Tokyo were making joint efforts to deal with the “dangerous aggressions” of the North Korean government.
Trump, who is on an extended tour of Asia, reiterated that he was considering all options to rein in Pyongyang.
During the meeting, Abe further said that Japan aimed to impose additional sanctions and freeze the assets of 35 North Korean entities and individuals.
Last month, Japan's defense chief warned that North Korea’s perceived nuclear threat was no routine issue, calling on the international community to view it as “unprecedented, critical and imminent.”
Japan became specifically worried about North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs when Pyongyang fired two long-range missiles over the island nation in September. The missile flew for about 20 minutes before crashing into the Pacific Ocean about 2,000 kilometers east of Hokkaido.
North Korea has been under a raft of crippling United Nations sanctions since 2006 over its nuclear tests as well as multiple rocket and missile launches.
Pyongyang has firmly defended its military program as a deterrent against hostile policies of the US and its regional allies, including South Korea and Japan.
The US has substantial military presence in the region and has several times threatened North Korea with military action.
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