Rare spat shows how China and North Korea are still at odds on nuclear weapons

Kim Jong-un and North Korean flag (Alamy/PA)

Josh Smith

North Korea's rare swipe at China this week underscored how Beijing and Pyongyang do not entirely see eye-to-eye on the latter's illicit nuclear weapons arsenal, despite warming ties in other areas, analysts and officials in South Korea said.

The North condemned China, Japan and South Korea on Monday for discussing denuclearisation of the peninsula, calling their joint declaration after a summit in Seoul a "grave political provocation" that violates its sovereignty.

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