Cherish Korea peace, Wang tells all sides
Measures adopted by Pyongyang recently deserve endorsement, and the parties concerned, particularly Washington, should cherish the rising opportunities for peace, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi has said.
He made the remarks when asked by media in Paris on Wednesday about the current Korean Peninsula situation, and he added that relief from the tense situation was “hard won”.
Fears over the situation have been rising after the recent US-Republic of Korea joint military drill “2018 Max Thunder” angered Pyongyang, which said on Wednesday it would have to reconsider the planned US-Democratic People’s Republic of Korea summit in Singapore.
In response, Wang called on all parties concerned to work as promoters of peace, not the contrary.
He warned that China does not expect the reoccurrence of a scenario in which one side shows flexibility while the other side displays greater toughness, noting that there have been lessons in the past.
Recently, Pyongyang announced its plan to halt nuclear and intercontinental missile tests, and that it would dismantle its Punggye-ri nuclear test ground between May 23 and 25.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said on Thursday that Pyongyang’s recent efforts show its goodwill and sincerity, and China believes concerns of all parties — including those reasonable ones of the DPRK — should be addressed in a balanced approach.
Wang Yi is on a trip to France, Spain, Portugal and Argentina that began on
Wednesday and will end on Thursday.
Meeting with French President Emanuel Macron on Wednesday, Wang relayed greetings from President Xi Jinping and said his trip aims to bring to life the consensus reached by the two leaders.
Macron said Paris praises Beijing’s key role in affairs such as reaching the climate change accord at the Paris Conference and pushing for a political settlement of the Korean Peninsula issue. France is ready to boost bilateral contacts and cooperation and champion multilateralism, he said.
China will work with France to advance multilateralism, champion the international system and the norms of international relations, and jointly send signals on securing world peace and stability, Wang told Macron.
After Wang met with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian on Wednesday, they jointly met reporters. Wang said the China-led Belt and Road Initiative echoes the era’s need for globalization and it substantially benefits the people in countries involved.
China and France could further work on the Belt and Road Initiative and expand their cooperation in third-party markets, Wang added.