According to a draft resolution circulated to council members and cited by media outlets on Tuesday, China and Russia are calling on the UN Security Council (UNSC) to ease sanctions against North Korea.
North Korea is currently reeling under international sanctions aimed at limiting its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.
What we know about the draft resolution
Beijing and Moscow said they want to “improve the quality of life” of civilian North Koreans by lifting trade restrictions on agricultural products, seafood, textiles and oil products.
North Korea has suffered severe shortages of food and medical supplies amid isolation, international sanctions and a bad harvest due to major typhoons last year.
The proposal includes lifting a ban on North Koreans working abroad and exempting inter-Korean rail and road cooperation projects from sanctions.
It would also have the council acknowledge “the difficult situation of economy and livelihood of the DPRK (North Korea’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) in recent years, underscoring the necessity to respect the legitimate security concerns of the DPRK, and ensure the welfare, inherent dignity, and rights of people in the DPRK.”