US, China vow to respond to North Korea: White House
US President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping have said they would give a “strong” response to North Korea’s planned missile launch.
During a phone call on Friday, Obama and Xi said that North Korea's planned ballistic missile test would be a "provocative and destabilizing action," the White House said in a statement.
"The leaders emphasized the importance of a strong and united international response to North Korea's provocations, including through an impactful UN Security Council Resolution," it added.
On Tuesday, Pyongyang notified three UN agencies that it plans to launch an earth observation satellite some time over an 18-day period beginning Monday.
However, South Korea’s Presidential Blue House said in a statement on Wednesday that Pyongyang is not going to launch an observation satellite, but a long-range missile.
The announcement angered South Korea and Japan, with both of them threatening to destroy any projectile or debris that falls on their territories.
North Korea declared itself a nuclear power in 2005 and carried out several nuclear weapon tests in 2006, 2009 and 2013. It also conducted its fourth nuclear test in January, triggering condemnation from the international community.
Obama and Xi also said Washington and Beijing would work together and coordinate efforts in response to North Korea's nuclear test on Jan 6, adding North Korea would not be accepted as a nuclear weapon state.
The United States has already deployed missile defense systems to work with the Japanese and South Korean militaries to track the rocket North Korea says it will launch.
"We will, as we always do, watch carefully if there's a launch, track the launch, (and) have our missile defense assets positioned and ready," US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said on Thursday.
"We plan a lot about it. We and our close allies – the Japanese and the South Koreans - are ready for it," Carter added.
North Korea says it is boosting defense capabilities in the face of enemy threats. The country is irked by joint military maneuvers by South Korea and the US and views them as direct threats against its security.
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