China repeats call for stability in Korean peninsula
Beijing's consistent position is to maintain stability in the Korean peninsula, the Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday, after South Korean media reported that North Korea may conduct a nuclear test in coming months. The relevant parties should take concrete actions to respond to the legitimate concerns of the DPRK, said foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin at a regular media briefing, referring to North Korea's formal name - the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. North Korea's first nuclear test since 2017, if it takes place, is likely to happen between October 16 and November 7, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported on Wednesday, citing lawmakers briefed by the national intelligence agency. Meanwhile, US Vice President Kamala Harris will visit the heavily fortified Demilitarised Zone on a trip to South Korea on Thursday, the White House said. The move is likely to spark an angry reaction from North Korea, which denounced US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as the "worst destroyer of international peace" when she visited the DMZ in August. (Agencies)