China appears to have pushed back on a U.S. bid to close a U.N. loophole that allows North Korea to export coal for "livelihood purposes," saying the well-being of North Koreans is a priority in negotiations on possible new U.N. sanctions on Pyongyang.

Since North Korea's fifth and largest nuclear test four weeks ago, the United States and China, a close ally of North Korea, have been negotiating a new draft Security Council resolution to punish Pyongyang.

"We cannot really affect the well-being and the humanitarian needs of the people and also we need to urge various parties to reduce tensions," Chinese U.N. Ambassador Liu Jieyi said Saturday of discussions with the United States on "a draft resolution with a wider scope of measures."