China calls on US to stop sanctioning North Korea

In October, Russia and China proposed a draft resolution aimed at lifting some sanctions on North Korea given that Pyongyang has taken steps toward denuclearisation and further negotiations

In October, Russia and China proposed a draft resolution aimed at lifting some sanctions on North Korea given that Pyongyang has taken steps toward denuclearisation and further negotiations, Qazet.az reports citing Sputnik.

The resolution expanded on a similar document proposed by the two countries in 2019 but was never put up for a vote due to opposition from Western members of the Security Council.

In mid-January, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un instructed the government to revise trust-building policy towards the United States and voiced his intention to resume all previously halted activities, a reference to the self-imposed moratorium on nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missiles testing.

On 13 January, North Korea launched a Hwasong-12 ballistic missile with a range of 4,500 kilometres (2,796 miles), making it the longest-range missile tested by Pyongyang since 2017. The launch was North Korea's seventh this year.