China ‘consistent’ over North Korea
Print Edition
CHINA insisted yesterday that its position on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and on growing good neighborly ties with North Korea is clear and consistent.
The response by China’s foreign ministry followed rare criticism by North Korea’s state news agency of calls in the Chinese media for tougher sanctions over Pyongyang’s nuclear program.
Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang had been asked for his reaction to a Korean Central News Agency commentary at a daily press briefing.
The article, published on Wednesday, referred to commentaries in Chinese newspapers which it said were “widely known as media speaking for the official stand of the Party and government.”
Geng said China’s position on denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is consistent and clear, as is its stance on developing its good neighborly and friendly relations with North Korea.
The KCNA commentary urged Chinese newspapers to “refrain from making reckless remarks undermining the DPRK-China relations.”
Geng said China had always viewed and dealt with relevant issues in a fair and objective manner. It is unswervingly devoted to achieving denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, maintaining peace and stability on the peninsula and promoting dialogue and consultation, he said.
“We hope relevant parities will shoulder their due responsibilities and contribute to regional peace and stability, as well as people’s well-being,” he added.
The WeChat account of the overseas edition of the People’s Daily, in its reaction to the KCNA piece, said it was clear that North Korea’s nuclear and missile activities were a threat to China.
“North Korea has not left the Cold War behind and does not want to, and is enmeshed in a web of its own spinning of antagonism between its enemies and itself,” it said.
China has repeatedly said that while it is happy to help arrange talks, it is ultimately up to the United States and North Korea to sort out their differences.
The KCNA commentary had charged that the Chinese articles were attempting to shift the blame to Pyongyang for “deteriorated relations” between China and North Korea and the US deployment of strategic assets to the region.
It also accused China of “hyping up” damage caused by North Korea’s nuclear tests to three provinces in China’s northeast.
Calls in the Chinese media for North Korea to dismantle its nuclear program were “a wanton violation of the independent and legitimate rights, dignity and supreme interests” of North Korea and constituted “an undisguised threat to an honest-minded neighboring country which has a long history and tradition of friendship,” KCNA said.
The US has sent a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to Korean waters and a pair of strategic US bombers flew training drills with South Korea and Japan in another show of strength this week.
“The reckless military provocation is pushing the situation on the Korean Peninsula closer to the brink of nuclear war,” KCNA said on Tuesday.
Tensions on the peninsula have been high for weeks, driven by concerns that North Korea might be about to conduct a sixth nuclear test, again in defiance of UN Security Council resolutions.
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