BEIJING, May 10 (UPI) -- China Tuesday rejected pressuring North Korea to resume the six-nation nuclear talks in Beijing, Interfax-China news agency reported.
China opposed putting any pressure on North Korea to force it to agree to the resumption of the six-nation talks on Pyongyang's nuclear program, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao told a briefing. China considered pressuring North Korea and imposing economic sanctions, Liu said.
There have been three rounds of negotiations that brought together North and South Korea, China, Japan, the United States and Russia, but the talks have been stalled since February.
Liu also said problems arising in six-nation talks should not be allowed to affect Chinese-North Korean trade. He expressed support for a U.S. offer Monday to hold bilateral talks with North Korea but argued the environment had yet to be prepared before they could be held.
