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China not invited to N. Korea’s key anniversary next month

September 21, 2015

BEIJING (Yonhap) — China is not among nations invited to attend North Korea’s key national anniversary next month, a diplomatic source said Monday, reflecting strained political ties between the allies.

North Korea has indicated that it may launch a long-range rocket on or around Oct. 10 to mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of its Workers’ Party. Any launch will spark international condemnation as a disguised ballistic missile test, which is banned under U.N. resolutions.

North Korea sent invitations to some nations in Africa and South America, but China, the North’s economic lifeline and diplomatic backer, has not been invited to attend the Oct. 10 ceremony, the source said on the condition of anonymity.

“To my knowledge, China has not been invited to take part in the Oct. 10 ceremony,” the source said.

On Saturday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called for all nations involved in the talks on North Korea’s nuclear program to implement U.N. resolutions against the North’s nuclear and missile programs, in a veiled warning against Pyongyang’s possible launch of a long-range rocket.

“All parties on this issue are members of the United Nations. We have a shared responsibility to uphold peace and security on the peninsula and implement U.N. Security Council resolutions,” Wang told a forum at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing.

“Any intention or attempt to disrupt peace of the Korean Peninsula and security in Northeast Asia is unjustified and undesirable.”