China, Russia agree war of words must stop

China and Russia should not allow anyone to make trouble on their doorstep, meaning the current top priority is to “put the brakes” on the inflammatory words and actions exchanged between Pyongyang and Washington, Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov.

In their phone conversation on Tuesday night on the situation, Lavrov said it is entirely unacceptable to resolve the peninsula’s nuclear issue through military means.

Earlier on Tuesday, Beijing urged Washington to “translate into actions” its latest pledge of diplomatically resolving the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, and said it is hoped Pyongyang responds to the US vow.

In a recent signed article in The Wall Street Journal, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and US Secretary of Defense John Mattis said “diplomacy is our preferred means” of changing Pyongyang’s course of action.

The objective of such a peaceful pressure campaign is the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and the United States does not seek an excuse to garrison its troops north of the Demilitarized Zone, the article says.

China has taken notice of the “positive comments” in the signed article, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Tuesday.

Security is what is at the core of the issue, and the key to resolving it lies in the hands of Pyongyang and Washington, Hua said.

The parties concerned are expected to seriously consider China’s proposals, consider each other’s reasonable security concerns and seek a breakthrough for resolving the peninsula’s nuclear issue through peaceful dialogue, she added.

Shi Yuanhua, a professor of Korean Peninsula studies at Fudan University in Shanghai, called the nuclear issue “the most demanding security challenge now within the Asia-Pacific region”.

Pyongyang has stated the possibility of holding off on a planned missile strike near the US Pacific island of Guam, and some analysts said this opened a possible path to de-escalating a growing crisis, AFP reported on Tuesday.

Hua, the spokeswoman, said it is hoped the words and actions by all the parties concerned will help “put out the fire” rather than “fuel the fire”.

Also on Tuesday, Republic of Korea President Moon Jae-in said no more war should break out on the peninsula, and no party can decide to take military action on the peninsula without the consent of the ROK.

In a speech to celebrate the 72nd anniversary of the peninsula’s liberation from Japanese colonial rule, Moon also urged Pyongyang to engage in dialogue, Xinhua reported.