China says it agrees that North Korea should be punished for its apparent test of a nuclear bomb.
China's ambassador to the United Nations, Wang Guangya says Beijing will go along with U.S. and Japanese demands for punitive measures, but also cautioned that any punishment should be "appropriate."
U.N. Security Council members are discussing a range of proposals, including a total arms embargo, a ban on luxury items, international inspections of North Korean cargo ships, and possible financial sanctions.
U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. John Bolton says there is broad agreement on the need for a quick response.
Meanwhile, scientists have not been able to confirm North Korea's claim that it detonated a nuclear device on Monday.
Japan says it is testing air samples outside North Korea for traces of radioactivity. The White House says it may never know exactly what happened.
Pyongyang says it detonated a nuclear device underground to bolster its defense against what it considers U.S. aggression.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told CNN television Tuesday that North Korea has crossed an important line and said the country will now find itself more isolated than it was before.
A White House spokesman, Tony Snow said the test is a North Korean ploy aimed at gaining international concessions.
China is urging North Korea to return to disarmament talks. The six-party negotiations have been stalled since last year and Pyongyang says it will not return to the table until Washington lifts financial sanctions on North Korean foreign assets.
China's ambassador to the United Nations, Wang Guangya says Beijing will go along with U.S. and Japanese demands for punitive measures, but also cautioned that any punishment should be "appropriate."
U.N. Security Council members are discussing a range of proposals, including a total arms embargo, a ban on luxury items, international inspections of North Korean cargo ships, and possible financial sanctions.
U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. John Bolton says there is broad agreement on the need for a quick response.
Meanwhile, scientists have not been able to confirm North Korea's claim that it detonated a nuclear device on Monday.
Japan says it is testing air samples outside North Korea for traces of radioactivity. The White House says it may never know exactly what happened.
Pyongyang says it detonated a nuclear device underground to bolster its defense against what it considers U.S. aggression.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told CNN television Tuesday that North Korea has crossed an important line and said the country will now find itself more isolated than it was before.
A White House spokesman, Tony Snow said the test is a North Korean ploy aimed at gaining international concessions.
China is urging North Korea to return to disarmament talks. The six-party negotiations have been stalled since last year and Pyongyang says it will not return to the table until Washington lifts financial sanctions on North Korean foreign assets.