China Keeps Calm At Un Meeting

Korean Peninsula increased ahead of scheduled military drills by the Republic of Korea (ROK)

, Russia urged the two Koreas to show restraint as the UN Security Council held an emergency meeting to discuss the situation late ,and so does China.

After Seoul reaffirmed its determination to go ahead with its planned live-fire drills this week off a border island in the Yellow Sea that was shelled last month by the DPRK,the session follows a request by Russia

Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi urged both Pyongyang and Seoul to stay calm, open dialogue and not to take any steps that might escalate the situation.On Saturday night,he made the comments in a phone call with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.

Beijing extended its diplomatic efforts to contain the situation over the weekend as two more senior diplomats -- Vice-Foreign Minister Zhang Zhijun and Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu -- made public calls for restraint on Saturday.

Yang warned that the situation on the peninsula remains tense and there is a risk of further escalation.Yang said"China resolutely opposes any action that could inflame tensions and exacerbate the situation, and asks that both sides of the peninsula exercise calm and restraint and open up dialogue and contact,". He also expressed hope that other relevant parties would do more to ease the situation.Yang told his Russian counterpart that Beijing would work together with Moscow to "strive to avoid the situation deteriorating out of control".

The ROK had planned to conduct live-fire drills on Dec 18-21 off the island of Yeonpyeong. The drills are similar to ones held last month before the island was shelled by the DPRK and four people were killed.But the drills were called off on Saturday because of bad weather and ROK authorities vowed to commence them on Monday or Tuesday.

An officer of the Ministry of National Defense says: we will drill today , but if the weather influence the drill , it will be delayed. If the weather can do the drill , we will begin.The Korea has already drilled like this for about 10 years , we have no reason to stop it .

The DPRK raised military readiness of its artillery unit along the west coast, Yonhap reported, citing an unidentified ROK government official.The official said some fighter jets that had been inside the air force hangar in the west coast also came out to the ground.Meanwhile, a flurry of regional diplomacy is under way, with Richardson, governor of New Mexico, visiting the DPRK.After the Nov 23 incident, both Koreas are becoming easily irritated, Jin said.Beijing is quite worried about the current tension, he added.

by: Chris Wood

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