The United States and China took opposing stances at the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday (Thursday in Manila) on how to reduce tensions with North Korea, with Washington arguing for more sanctions against Pyongyang while Beijing called for their easing. The emergency meeting of the body charged with global peace and security came amid fears that North Korea would resume nuclear testing in the coming weeks. “It is time to stop providing tacit permission and start taking action,” US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said, adding that “we need to turn quickly to strengthening the...sanctions regime, not considering sanctions relief.” She also said: “We cannot wait until (North Korea) conducts additional provocative, illegal, dangerous acts like a nuclear test. We need to speak up now.” But China’s UN envoy Zhang Jun called the possibility of escalation “worrying” and called for “restraint,” adding that tightening sanctions in an atmosphere of mistrust was “not constructive.”“What China wants to avoid is a new nuclear test,” he told Agence France-Presse (AFP) after the meeting.