China urges calm after U.S. threatens to use force against N.Korea

PanARMENIAN.Net - China's foreign ministry on Thursday, July 6 called for all sides to remain calm and exercise restraint after the United States said it was ready to use force, if need be, to halt North Korea's nuclear missile program, Reuters reports.

China fully implements United Nations sanctions on North Korea, ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a daily news briefing.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley told a meeting of the U.N. Security Council that North Korea's actions were "quickly closing off the possibility of a diplomatic solution" and the United States was prepared to defend itself and its allies.

"One of our capabilities lies with our considerable military forces. We will use them if we must, but we prefer not to have to go in that direction," Haley said. She urged China, North Korea's only major ally, to do more to rein in Pyongyang.

Taking a major step in its missile program, North Korea on Tuesday test launched an intercontinental ballistic missile that some experts believe has the range to reach the U.S. states of Alaska and Hawaii and perhaps the U.S. Pacific Northwest.

North Korea says the missile could carry a large nuclear warhead.