Calm urged after missile launched

All relevant parties “should exercise restraint and not take any actions that will aggravate regional tensions”, Beijing said on Wednesday, following a missile launch by Pyongyang earlier in the day.

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea test-fired a ballistic missile into eastern waters, Xinhua News Agency reported.

In response, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a regular news conference in Beijing that China has taken notice of the reports.

Hua referred to the clear requirements made by the United Nations Security Council’s previous resolutions on the DPRK using ballistic missile technologies for missile launches.

An ultimate settlement of the Korean Peninsula issue requires “addressing both the symptoms and the root causes”, and the reasonable concerns of all parties should be addressed in a comprehensive and balanced approach, the spokeswoman said.

In addition, China urges all relevant parties to attach importance to China’s efforts in pushing for the resumption of the Six-Party talks on the nuclear issue, Hua said.

The ballistic missile was fired at about 6:42 am local time from Sinpo in North Hamgyeong province, in northeastern DPRK, and it flew about 60 kilometers into its eastern waters, an

Dual-Suspension proposal helps nurture an ideal climate for dialogue.” Wang Junsheng, researcher at Chinese Academy of Social Sciences

official with the Republic of Korea’s defense ministry told Xinhua.

The test-firing comes in the wake of a slew of joint military drills conducted by the ROK and the United States.

Wang Junsheng, a researcher on Asia-Pacific studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, noted that there has been a vicious cycle between Pyongyang and Washington in recent years.

“Beijing’s recent Dual-Suspension proposal, which calls for suspending both the DPRK’s nuclear and missile activities, and the large-scale drills by the US and the ROK, is a fair one and it helps nurture an ideal climate for dialogue among the parties,” Wang said.

Whether the proposal will be successful depends on the sincerity of the relevant parties for solving the problems, Wang added.

The missile launch by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea on Wednesday once again highlights the importance of resolving the DPRK nuclear issue.

It’s time for China and the United States to bridge the differences that exist between them regarding the Korean Peninsula issues.

Pyongyang said earlier this year it is getting closer to developing its own intercontinental ballistic missiles, which many in the Trump administration believe could hit the US.

As a result, the Trump administration has said it might forgo the “strategic patience” of its predecessor, hinting a direct strike at Pyongyang. However, that would only increase the uncertainties on the Korean Peninsula. A nuclear-free Korean Peninsula is in the shared interests of Beijing and Washington.

That explains why Washington appears to be keener to address the DPRK nuclear issue. Beijing too is concerned about its nuclear-minded neighbor, which conducted two nuclear tests and over 20 missile tests last year alone, as Pyongyang’s frequent test-firings, have offered Washington and Seoul a convenient excuse to upgrade their military alliance.

US aircraft carriers like the USS Carl Vinson are more often seen in the regional waters, and the US’ Terminal High Altitude Area Defense anti-missile system is being deployed in the Republic of Korea. Such moves have added yet more tension to the security situation in Northeast Asia, putting at risk the national interests of regional players including China and Russia.

But resorting to military engagement is unwanted and counterproductive.

Tough rhetoric aside, the Trump administration has a lot more to worry about at home. Nor could it stand the economic consequences of starting a war in Northeast Asia, where most countries are in close trade ties with the US. China and Russia will surely oppose the idea of going to war as would most ROK citizens.

As for China and the US, there is still a long way to go to find a peaceful approach to the denuclearization agreed by both sides. China wants the DPRK to suspend its nuclear and missile programs, and the US and the ROK to halt their large-scale military exercises. This “dual-halt” approach is needed to alleviate Pyongyang’s security concerns and notify the country in the meantime that its nuclear path only increases those concerns.

Given the needed amount of pressure, it is possible that the DPRK will make a long-awaited commitment to denuclearization. That could be a window of opportunity for all relevant parties to resume the SixParty Talks and put in action a peace mechanism. The success of the whole plan hinges on whether the US and the DPRK accept the “dual-halt” approach.

The success of the whole plan hinges on whether the US and the DPRK accept the “dualhalt” approach.