China reiterates its commitment to peace on Korean Peninsula
Source: Agencies |
April 14, 2013, Sunday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
CHINA and the United States agreed yesterday to make a joint effort to push for the peaceful denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. The declarations from both nations' foreign policy chiefs came as North Korea appears to be readying a missile test that has caused grave concern for the US and its two close Asian allies, South Korea and Japan.
When meeting with visiting US Secretary of State John Kerry, State Councillor Yang Jiechi said China's stance on maintaining peace and stability on the peninsula was clear and consistent.
"We maintain that the issue should be handled and resolved peacefully through dialogue and consultation. To properly address the Korea nuclear issue serves the common interests of all parties. It is also the shared responsibility of all parties," Yang said.
"China will work with other relevant parties, including the United States, to play a constructive role in promoting the six-party talks and balanced implementation of the goals set out in the September 19 Joint Statement of 2005."
The September 19 Joint Statement was signed in 2005, in which North Korea promised to abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs.
The six-party talks with North Korea fell apart four years ago.
"We are able, the United States and China, to underscore our joint commitment to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in a peaceful manner," Kerry told reporters, standing next to Yang at a state guesthouse in western Beijing.
"We agreed that this is critically important for the stability of the region and indeed for the world and for all of our nonproliferation efforts."
At a news conference in Seoul on Friday and in a US-South Korean joint statement issued on Saturday, Kerry signalled the US preference for diplomacy to end the tension, but stressed North Korea must take "meaningful" steps on denuclearization.
The United States and its allies believe the North violated the 2005 aid-for-denuclearization deal by conducting a nuclear test in 2006 and pursuing a uranium enrichment programme that would give it a second path to a nuclear weapon in addition to its plutonium-based programme.
In Kerry's meeting with Premier Li Keqaing, Li told Kerry that troublemaking on the Korean Peninsula issue would harm the interests of all the parties involved.
"To do that is nothing different from lifting a rock only to drop it on one's own toes," Li said. "The parties involved should shoulder their responsibilities and be ready to bear the consequence to safeguard the regional peace and stability," he added.
Kerry's visit to Asia, which will include a stop in Tokyo today, takes place after weeks of shrill North Korean threats of war since the imposition of new UN sanctions in response to its third nuclear test in February.
North Korean television made no mention of Kerry's visit and devoted most of its reports to preparations for Monday's celebrations marking the birth date of state founder Kim Il-Sung.
But Rodong Sinmun, the Workers' Party's newspaper, issued a fresh denunciation of US-South Korean military exercises, saying: "The outbreak of nuclear war has now become a fait accompli, owing to the US and the South Korean puppet forces.
"If the enemies dare provoke (North Korea) while going reckless, it will immediately blow them up with an annihilating strike with the use of powerful nuclear means."
South Korea's Yonhap news agency, quoting a government source, said North Korea had not moved any missile launchers for the past two days.
When meeting with visiting US Secretary of State John Kerry, State Councillor Yang Jiechi said China's stance on maintaining peace and stability on the peninsula was clear and consistent.
"We maintain that the issue should be handled and resolved peacefully through dialogue and consultation. To properly address the Korea nuclear issue serves the common interests of all parties. It is also the shared responsibility of all parties," Yang said.
"China will work with other relevant parties, including the United States, to play a constructive role in promoting the six-party talks and balanced implementation of the goals set out in the September 19 Joint Statement of 2005."
The September 19 Joint Statement was signed in 2005, in which North Korea promised to abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs.
The six-party talks with North Korea fell apart four years ago.
"We are able, the United States and China, to underscore our joint commitment to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in a peaceful manner," Kerry told reporters, standing next to Yang at a state guesthouse in western Beijing.
"We agreed that this is critically important for the stability of the region and indeed for the world and for all of our nonproliferation efforts."
At a news conference in Seoul on Friday and in a US-South Korean joint statement issued on Saturday, Kerry signalled the US preference for diplomacy to end the tension, but stressed North Korea must take "meaningful" steps on denuclearization.
The United States and its allies believe the North violated the 2005 aid-for-denuclearization deal by conducting a nuclear test in 2006 and pursuing a uranium enrichment programme that would give it a second path to a nuclear weapon in addition to its plutonium-based programme.
In Kerry's meeting with Premier Li Keqaing, Li told Kerry that troublemaking on the Korean Peninsula issue would harm the interests of all the parties involved.
"To do that is nothing different from lifting a rock only to drop it on one's own toes," Li said. "The parties involved should shoulder their responsibilities and be ready to bear the consequence to safeguard the regional peace and stability," he added.
Kerry's visit to Asia, which will include a stop in Tokyo today, takes place after weeks of shrill North Korean threats of war since the imposition of new UN sanctions in response to its third nuclear test in February.
North Korean television made no mention of Kerry's visit and devoted most of its reports to preparations for Monday's celebrations marking the birth date of state founder Kim Il-Sung.
But Rodong Sinmun, the Workers' Party's newspaper, issued a fresh denunciation of US-South Korean military exercises, saying: "The outbreak of nuclear war has now become a fait accompli, owing to the US and the South Korean puppet forces.
"If the enemies dare provoke (North Korea) while going reckless, it will immediately blow them up with an annihilating strike with the use of powerful nuclear means."
South Korea's Yonhap news agency, quoting a government source, said North Korea had not moved any missile launchers for the past two days.
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