China rejects North Korea’s plea ‘to send envoy’

North Korea has requested to China send a high-ranking envoy at the deputy-ministerial-level.

Washington: China has reportedly rejected the plea from old ally North Korea to send them an envoy in order to improve their soured relations.

North Korea has requested China to send a high-ranking envoy at the deputy-ministerial-level. But a South Korean newspaper revealed that China rejected the request, and said North Korea should send their envoy Beijing first. The paper said Beijing has expressed ‘serious concern’ over the soaring crisis at the Korean peninsula, after Pyongyang banned South Koreans from entering a jointly run complex, the Daily Express reports. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei yesterday called on all sides to "remain calm and exercise restraint and not take actions which are mutually provocative and must certainly not take actions which will worsen the situation". The report pointed out that, under a treaty signed half a century ago, China is, however, obliged to “render military and other assistance by all means at its disposal” in the event North Korea comes under “armed attack by any state". ANI