People watch the news on a television screen at a station in Seoul, South Korea, 20 August 2026. According to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), North Korea launched several ballistic missiles toward the East Sea amid the South Korea-US Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise on 20 August. Photo by JEON HEON-KYUN / EPA
Aug. 21 (Asia Today) — China again declined Friday to express a position on North Korea’s latest barrage of ballistic missiles, continuing its recent pattern of avoiding direct criticism of Pyongyang’s weapons launches.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian was asked during a regular briefing about North Korea’s missile launches Thursday.
“We have noted the relevant reports,” Lin said, adding that China had “no new comment” on the matter.
China has generally avoided stating explicitly whether North Korean missile launches violate U.N. Security Council resolutions, instead reiterating its position that issues involving the Korean Peninsula should be resolved through dialogue and negotiations.
Beijing followed essentially the same approach Friday.
After a North Korean ballistic missile launch May 26, China’s Foreign Ministry also said it had “no new comment” but noted that the parties involved held differing views about the nature of the projectile.
Since Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to North Korea in June, however, Beijing has repeatedly responded to missile launches by saying it has no new comment.
North Korea fired more than 10 short-range ballistic missiles from the Pyongyang area toward the East Sea at around 5 p.m. Thursday, according to diplomatic sources in Beijing.
The launch came as U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly expressed interest in another summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and ordered a reduction in U.S.-South Korean military exercises.
The timing could be interpreted as an expression of Pyongyang’s dissatisfaction that the already shortened Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise was still taking place.
It could also be viewed as pressure for a complete suspension of joint U.S.-South Korean military exercises.
North Korea took similar action March 14 during the spring Freedom Shield exercise.
That launch also occurred shortly after Trump met then-Prime Minister Kim Min-seok and publicly signaled his willingness to engage Kim Jong Un in dialogue.
Thursday’s launches also came shortly after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi completed a visit to South Korea.
Reports of the launch emerged about 90 minutes after Wang left South Korea following a schedule that included a meeting with President Lee Jae Myung.
Thursday’s launch was North Korea’s 12th ballistic missile launch event of the year and came eight days after its previous launch.
Pyongyang has launched ballistic missiles three times this month, on Aug. 6, Aug. 12 and Thursday.
— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI
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Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260821010007240