China Ready to North Korea Nuclear Test

BEIJING - North Korean state television announced the success of its fifth nuclear test on Friday (9/9).

China's Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) earlier activated a contingency plan following the test.

The MEP initiated a Class-II emergency response at 8:35 a.m. after a magnitude-5.0 earthquake was detected in the North Korea at 8:30 a.m., which is caused by the nuclear test.

Radiation monitoring stations in China's three northeastern provinces and eastern Shandong Province are operating normally.

The MEP has also started radiation monitoring at the country's northeastern border. Reports are suggesting that shaking can be felt across the Chinese border in the province of Jilin.

China says this is a threat to its own security and will do nothing to bring North Korea back to the negotiating table on its nuclear programme.

China's official Xinhua news agency, in a commentary after North Korea confirmed the test, said it was shocking and unwise and would only "add oil to the flames".

But it added that nobody benefited from chaos or war in Korea and all parties in the international community should exercise restraint and avoid doing anything that is "mutually irritating".

"Not long along, South Korea ignored the strong opposition of neighbouring countries and decided to deploy the THAAD system, which is diametrically opposed to efforts to maintain peace and stability on the peninsula, has seriously damaged regional strategic balance and caused a rise in tensions on the peninsula."