China urged the international community on Monday to give impoverished North Korea more humanitarian help, amid reports Beijing decided on a major aid package to Pyongyang after Kim Jong-Il’s death. Senior Chinese officials agreed to donate a large amount of aid to its nuclear-armed ally at a December 20 meeting chaired by President Hu Jintao in a gesture of support for the new regime of Kim’s son, a Japanese newspaper said. Beijing would not confirm the meeting or comment on any specifics.
“As a good friend and close neighbour of North Korea, China has always provided aid to North Korea within the realm of its ability to do so, to help North Korea develop its economy and improve people’s livelihoods,” the foreign ministry said in a statement. “We also hope the international community will provide North Korea with more humanitarian assistance.” According to the Tokyo Shimbun, which reported from Seoul and cited unnamed sources, China decided to donate 500,000 tonnes of food and 250,000 tonnes of crude oil to North Korea at the meeting.