North Korea ICBM launch
Intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) Hwasong-14 is pictured during its second test-fire KCNA via Reuters

US President Donald Trump has said that he is "very disappointed" with China for not doing enough to curtail North Korea's weapons programme.

Trump's comment on Twitter came after North Korea launched a ballistic missile late on Friday (28 July) in response to US sanctions. The Pyongyang regime said it was the second test of its intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) following the first on 4 July.

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"I am very disappointed in China. Our foolish past leaders have allowed them to make hundreds of billions of dollars a year in trade, yet they do NOTHING for us with North Korea, just talk," Trump wrote in two posts.

The North's Hwasong-14 ICBM is technically capable of reaching Alaska.

Trump's latest remark is in sharp contrast to his earlier conciliatory tone, making overtures to President Xi Jinping in order to exert more pressure on Pyongyang. North Korea has been conducting repeated missile tests despite an international outcry.

China remains North Korea's staunch economic partner with trade between the two countries booming.

Shortly after the North's first ICBM test in early July, Trump said: "So much for China working with us. But we had to give it a try!" He pointed out that China's trade with North Korea had grown by 40% in the first quarter.

For its part, China on Saturday condemned the missile launch and asked Pyongyang to desist from "taking actions that would escalate tensions" on the Korean peninsula.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said: "The UN Security Council has clear regulations on North Korea's launch activities that use ballistic missile technologies. China is opposed to North Korea's launch activities in violation of UN Security Council resolutions and against the will of the international community."

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