China denies rushing forces to border during Korean tensions

[IceWizard]

Thu Aug 27, 2015 | 6:02 AM EDT
REUTERS/JACKY CHEN

BEIJING (Reuters) -
China did not rush reinforcements to its border with North Korea following a rise in tensions between the two Koreas last week, China's Defence Ministry said on Thursday, adding that its forces were in normal deployment.

Pictures circulated on Chinese websites over
the weekend, which were picked up by some
overseas Chinese newspapers, appeared to
show the People's Liberation Army bringing in
additional tanks to Yanbian, a Chinese border
city.

Chinese Defence Ministry spokesman Yang
Yujun said those reports were "untrue and
completely hyped up". "At present, the situation on the Chinese-North Korean border is generally stable, and Chinese border defense forces have all along maintained normal combat readiness and state of training," he told a monthly news briefing, without elaborating.

North and South Korea agreed this week to
end a military standoff that sparked an
exchange of artillery fire and had ratcheted up
tension on one of the world's most heavily-
fortified borders.

China is isolated North Korea's biggest trade
partner and only significant ally, but a series of
nuclear tests by Pyongyang has deeply
angered Beijing.

Ties have also been strained by murders along
the border of Chinese citizens suspected to
have been committed by North Korean
defectors or army deserters.

The 521-km (324-mile) Tumen River that divides China and North Korea is a popular breakout route used by defectors fleeing the secretive state.


(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Nick
Macfie)

[Charon]

thank you very much, walter chronkite. yeah, forget the spelling.

u may as well put Ice Wizard down in: Reporting by: area. Because you bring all the news that is fit to print.

And, I thank you.