Agence France Presse

Beijing, February 1:

China today cautioned Japan against imposing sanctions on North Korea to pressure it to come clean about the status of Japanese citizens it abducted.

“The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) and Japan have some problems remaining from history. These problems left over from history have dragged on for a long time and are rather complicated,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Kong Quan said.

“We’ve all along advocated that the DPRK and Japan should properly handle these issues through dialogue and negotiations and jointly play a constructive and positive role to maintain regional peace and to promote the resumption of six-party talks.”

Shinzo Abe, acting secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, said on Sunday that Japan may announce sanctions this month and wait to see North Korea’s response.

South Korea said last week sanctions would not be effective without the backing of China, which is believed to be the biggest aid provider to the North.

Japan has accused North Korea of handing over false evidence including human remains to prove the death of eight Japanese it kidnapped during the Cold War.

The sanctions against the cash-strapped dictatorship could include stopping imports of its fishery products, banning port calls by its ships or blocking remittances by its nationals in Japan.

North Korea has denied the Japanese allegations of false evidence and threatened to

exclude Tokyo from six-nation talks on ending the North’s nuclear programme.