The Chinese foreign ministry has called for a cautious UN response to Pyongyang"s long-range rocket launch.

According to China, North Korea has the right to peaceful space development.

The permanent members of the UN Security Council, the US, France, Russia, UK and China and Japan, met in New York on Monday to discuss sanctions against North Korea.

While no agreement was reached, a further meeting on Tuesday is likely to see Beijing and Moscow calling for restraint.

Pyongyang has said its rocket test was a success, but US military sources have said the rocket failed to fire its later stages and fell into the Pacific.