China on Monday called on North Korea to abide by the U.N. Security Council resolutions that ban the North from conducting ballistic missile launches two days after Pyongyang claimed it successfully fired a ballistic missile from a submarine.

"The U.N. Security Council resolution has a provision on this issue," China's foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters. "We hope the relevant party can earnestly fulfill the resolution and avoid taking any actions that may escalate tension."

North Korea's state media claimed on Saturday that the North successfully launched a ballistic missile from a submarine in what Pyongyang argued is a success of its underwater launching system.

The U.N. Security Council on Sunday condemned the North's latest launch of a ballistic missile. 

The launch came amid heightened concerns that North Korea may be preparing for its fifth nuclear test, possibly ahead of its key party congress in early May.

International sanctions against North Korea were tightened early last month after the country conducted its fourth nuclear test in January and launch of a long-range rocket in February.  (Yonhap)