BEIJING (AP) — China's government said Tuesday it asked for a hold on a U.S. request for United Nations sanctions against ships accused of helping North Korea evade sanctions imposed over its weapons programs while it looks into who would be affected.

Beijing needs time to investigate because the request to ban violators from global ports and blacklist trading companies covers a "large number of ships and entities," said a foreign ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang.

Washington requested the sanctions following reports foreign traders are helping North Korea violate limits on oil imports and...