China tells North Korea to stop testing nuclear missiles

China delivered the warning hours after backing tough new UN sanctions. 

The 15-strong UN Security Council, including Britain, the US and Russia, voted unanimously on curbs with the potential to slash exports of £2.3billion a year by a third. 

The measures ban exports of coal, iron, iron ore, lead, lead ore and seafood and prohibits countries from hiring additional North Korean labourers. 

It also bars new joint ventures. 

The sanctions were imposed in response to North Korea’s five nuclear tests and four long-range missile launches and claims it can hit the United States with nuclear warheads. 

Yesterday, China’s foreign minister Wang Yi urged opposite number Ri Yong Ho not to continue tests. 

Mr Wang said: “The Chinese side urged the North Korean side to calmly handle the resolutions… and to not do anything unbeneficial towards the international community such as a nuclear test.” 

But US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said: “We should not fool ourselves into thinking we have solved the problem.”