The UN Security Council imposed more strict sanctions against North Korea recently in response to its third nuclear test, and China voted for the sanctions. Domestically, opinions vary as to whether China should join the sanctions, but I think it depends on whether North Korea harms China's interests.

Did North Korea harm China's interests? Sure. Once North Korea has nuclear weapons, the nuclear security situation around China will further deteriorate, which could even cause a chain reaction. Japan, South Korea and others will use this as an excuse to build anti-missile systems or even develop nuclear weapons themselves.

North Korea's ability to manage nuclear power and weaponry is still poor. If a nuclear leak occurs or if North Korea is hit by nuclear retaliation, the radiation will stretch for between 400 and 1,400 kilometers, irradiating substantial stretches of Chinese territory.

And there will be disastrous consequences if nuclear technology or equipment falls into the hands of terrorists.

Moreover, if the North Korean regime collapses after being attacked from the outside, millions of refugees will flood into Northeast China from the turbulent Korean Peninsula, which would add an enormous burden on politics, economy and environment of China's border region.  

China doesn't have to pay for North Korea's rashness at the cost of its own hard-earned period of strategic opportunities, and China must let North Korea clearly know this. China understands North Korea's focus on security, and also tries to help North Korea solve that within its ability.

To be honest, no one knows what the situation on the Korean Peninsula would be like without China's years of efforts. But North Korea should also be concerned about China's interests.

China has a very clear aim in sanctions against North Korea, that it urges North Korea not to harm China's interests. China's sanctions against North Korea are done through real concern rather than malice.

At this point, China has a totally different aim from certain countries, for it only expects that North Korea can abandon the pursuit of nuclear weapons, not its political system. China believes that North Korea can integrate into the international community, and pursue the path of peaceful development by giving up nuclear weapons.

In such circumstances, sanctions against North Korea can only be moderate and targeted nuclear program-related personnel, capital, materials and technology, while avoiding inflicting damage on ordinary people and bringing humanitarian disaster.

The author is the vice president of the China Strategy Culture Promotion Association. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn