Asia

N. Korea issues direct criticism on China amid nuke dispute

Associated Press
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FILE - This combination of file photos shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, left, on April 15, 2017 waving during a military parade to celebrate the 105th birth anniversary of Kim Il Sung in Pyongyang, North Korea, and Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, on April 7, 2017 smiles during a meeting with Alaska Gov. Bill Walker in Anchorage, Alaska following his meetings with President Donald Trump in Florida. North Korea issued a rare direct criticism of China Wednesday, May 3, through a commentary saying its “reckless remarks” on the North’s nuclear program are testing its patience and could trigger unspecified “grave” consequences. Previously it has couched such criticism by referring to China only as “a neighboring country.” (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E, Michael Dinneen, Files) (The Associated Press)

FILE - In this April 6, 2017 file photo, Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, smiles at U.S. President Donald Trump as they pose together with their wives for photographers before dinner at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla. North Korea issued a rare direct criticism of China Wednesday, May 3 through a commentary saying its “reckless remarks” on the North’s nuclear program are testing its patience and could trigger unspecified “grave” consequences. China, North Korea’s largest trading partner and main benefactor, suspended imports of North Korean coal in line with U.N. sanctions and has been urging its traditional ally to stop nuclear and missile activities amid U.S. pressure to use its leverage to resolve the nuclear standoff. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File) (The Associated Press)

FILE - In this Saturday, April 15, 2017 file photo, missiles are paraded across Kim Il Sung Square during a military parade in Pyongyang, marking the 105th birth anniversary of Kim Il Sung, the country's late founder and grandfather of current leader Kim Jong Un. North Korea issued a rare direct criticism of China Wednesday, May 3 through a commentary saying its “reckless remarks” on the North’s nuclear program are testing its patience and could trigger unspecified “grave” consequences. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E, File) (The Associated Press)

North Korea has issued a rare direct criticism of China through a commentary saying its "reckless remarks" on the North's nuclear program are testing its patience and could trigger unspecified "grave" consequences.

China, North Korea's largest trading partner and main benefactor, has been urging the North to stop nuclear and missile activities amid U.S. pressure to use its leverage to resolve the nuclear standoff.

The commentary released Wednesday by the state-run Korean Central News Agency says "a string of absurd and reckless remarks are now heard from China everyday only to render the present bad situation tenser."

It's unusual for the North to directly criticize Beijing. Previously it has couched such criticism by referring to China only as "a neighboring country."