China delays U.S. bid to sanction North Koreans at U.N.

China delayed a U.S. bid to impose U.N. sanctions on five North Koreans on Thursday, diplomats said, a day after Pyongyang suggested it may resume tests of nuclear weapons and long-range missiles. The move by China came ahead of a closed-door U.N. Security Council meeting on North Korea on Thursday - the second in two weeks - after Pyongyang fired tactical guided missiles on Monday, the latest in a string of missile launches.

China told council colleagues it needed more time to study the U.S. sanctions proposal, diplomats said.