North Korea has warned China of “grave consequences” if it “chops down” relations between the two countries. Despite the angry outburst, Beijing says it wants to maintain friendly relations with its neighbor.
In a commentary late Wednesday, North Korean state news agency KCNA took aim at a “string of absurd and reckless remarks” from Chinese media towards Pyongyang’s nuclear ambitions.
“The DPRK will never beg for the maintenance of friendship with China, risking its nuclear program which is as precious as its own life, no matter how valuable the friendship is, ” the editorial said.
“China should no longer try to test the limits of the DPRK’s patience… [and] had better ponder over the grave consequences to be entailed by its reckless act of chopping down the pillar of the DPRK-China relations, ” it continued.
The remarks were in response to commentaries published in China’s People’s Daily and Global Times newspapers, which called for tougher sanctions over the North’s nuclear program.
KCNA said that Chinese state media calls for Pyongyang to dismantle its nuclear program were a “wanton violation of the independent and legitimate rights, dignity and supreme interests” of North Korea and constitute “an undisguised threat to an honest-minded neighboring country which has a long history and tradition of friendship.
