June 02, 2023
News

China votes to condemn past North Korean nuclear tests at UN, as Russia abstains

Experts caution latest vote may not foreshadow Beijing’s response if DPRK conducts seventh nuclear test

China has voted in favor of a U.N. draft resolution condemning North Korean nuclear tests, a move that comes after it forgoed similar rebukes of multiple DPRK missile tests this year.

But experts cautioned against drawing conclusions from the vote about how Beijing may react in case of a seventh DPRK nuclear test, while stating that Russia’s abstention underlines that it sees little reason to work with the U.S. amid tensions over the war in Ukraine.