North Korea must pay a "necessary price" under a new U.N. resolution against the North's fourth nuclear test and launch of a long-range rocket this year, China's foreign minister said Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters after talks with Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China supports a new U.N. resolution that makes North Korea "pay the necessary price."

Wang described North Korea's nuclear test and rocket launch as "serious" violations of the existing U.N. resolutions against Pyongyang.

However, Wang said a U.N. resolution against North Korea must include a condition to resume long-stalled six-party talks on the North's nuclear weapons program.

U.N. Security Council members remain divided over how to punish North Korea for its fourth nuclear test on Jan. 6 and Feb. 7 rocket launch, with China, one of five veto-wielding council members, reluctant to put crippling sanctions on North Korea.

Winning China's cooperation is the key to enforcing stronger sanctions against North Korea's nuclear and missile programs because China is the North's economic lifeline.

But Beijing has been reluctant to put crippling sanctions on Pyongyang because a sudden collapse of the regime could spark a refugee crisis at its border and lead to a pro-U.S., democratic Korea on its doorstep, analysts say. (Yonhap)