Pyongyang may have alienated its strongest regional ally with its announcement of further nuclear tests, specifically directed at its avowed enemy the United States. An announcement by Glyn Davies, Washington’s special envoy for policy on North Korea, declared that a ‘strong consensus’ was reached with his PRC counterparts.
In a meeting Friday, January 25 with his counterparts in Beijing, Davies told a press conference that strong consensus was achieved and that both sides agreed a new nuclear test on the Korean peninsula would be a ‘troubling development.’ The People’s Republic of China and the United States both supported United Nations Security Council Resolution 2087 and called it an appropriate response to Pyongyang’s successful rocket test earlier in December 2012.
As the DPRK’s largest economic supporter, China’s support for the UNSC resolution was crucial and there were hopes it would rein in the rogue state; however, announcements from North Korea’s powerful National Defense Commission condemned the ‘high-handed’ actions by the United Nations and threatened South Korea with physical retaliation if it participated in those economic sanctions.
Condemnation of Russia or China is rare from North Korea, but apparently Pyongyang is upset that those two powers did not use their veto power to block the resolution from passing.