CRI听力:Security Council Adopts Resolution in Response to North Korea's 5th Nuclear Test

In the new resolution, namely Resolution 2321, the 15 member nations of the Security Council decided that North Korea shall not supply, sell or transfer coal, one of the country's hard currencies, as well as iron and iron ore from its territory, but excluded transactions for livelihood purposes.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon attended the Council meeting and said the new resolution "sends an unequivocal message" that North Korea must cease further provocative actions and comply fully with its international obligations.

"The DPRK must reverse its course and move onto the path of denuclearization through sincere dialogue. I reiterate my call on the DPRK to take the necessary steps to reduce tensions in the region."

At the meantime, Ban Ki-moon also said that sanctions should not be the ultimate goal or method to realize denuclearization on the Peninsula, while calling on the international community to improve living conditions of the people of North Korea.

"Sanctions should be incorporated in a comprehensive strategy for lasting peace and security, we must remain committed to peaceful, diplomatic, and political solution to this complex and dangerous situation."

The new resolution sets an upper limit on North Korea's coal exporting, saying the total exports from the country do not exceed 400.9 million U.S. dollars or 7.5 million metric tons per year, whichever is lower, starting on Jan. 1, 2017. In addition, the resolution also puts a ban on the sale of copper, nickel, silver, zinc and statues from the DPRK.

Chinese Permanent Representative to the United Nations Liu Jieyi addressed the Council meeting and said that China firmly opposes North Korea's nuclear test, which is in defiance of the universal objection of the international community.

"The Chinese government firmly opposes such an act. The resolution adopted by the council today demonstrates the uniform stand of the international community against the development by North Korea of its nuclear and missile programs and for the maintenance of the international nuclear non-proliferation regime."

Ambassador Liu pointed out that the relevant measures are not intended to produce negative consequences to North Korea's humanitarian situation and the livelihood of its people, nor to affect normal economic and trade activities.

Liu noted that the top priority at hand is for the parties concerned to resume dialogue and negotiations and re-launch the Six-Party talks as soon as possible.

Liu also reiterated China's opposition to the deployment of THAAD anti-missile system on the Korean Peninsula:

"China is opposed to the deployment of THAAD anti-missile system on the Peninsula, as it seriously undermines the strategic security interest of China and other countries of the region, and upset the regional strategic balance. As such, it is neither conducive to the realization of the goal of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, nor helpful to the maintenance of the peace and stability on the Peninsula."

On Sept. 9, North Korea conducted a nuclear warhead explosion test. It was Pyongyang's fifth nuclear test, and came eight months after the previous one.

In March, the Security Council also imposed severe sanctions, including an export ban and asset freeze, on North Korea in response to its H-bomb test carried out in January.

North Korea has previously conducted underground nuclear tests respectively in 2006, 2009 and 2013.

So far, the Security Council has adopted six resolutions to curb North Korea's nuclear and missile programs.

For CRI, this is Qian Shanming from the UN headquarters in New York.