Beijing – China proposed Wednesday that North Korea suspend its nuclear activities in exchange for the US and South Korea halting their annual joint military drills.
The two actions would bring the two parties back to the negotiating table, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said during a press conference on the sidelines of the annual plenary session of the National People’s Congress in Beijing.
His comments came after North Korea launched four ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan on Monday and the US in response began the deployment of its THAAD missile defence system in South Korea.
Wang said tensions were rising on the Korean Peninsula, as North Korea continued to ignore international warnings against its nuclear activity, and as the US and South Korea conducted large-scale military actions directed at the North.
“The two sides are like two accelerating trains coming toward each other with neither side willing to give way,” Wang said. “The question is are the sides really ready for a head-on collision?”
China’s role is to switch the tracks and help apply the brakes in order to avoid the collision, he said.
The issue is mainly between the US and North Korea, with China as a next-door neighbour, Wang said.
“Of course, we’re indispensable to the resolution of the nuclear issue,” he said. “China has a strong commitment to denuclearizing the peninsula.
“Nuclear weapons will not bring security. The use of force will not bring solutions. Talks deserve another chance, and peace is still within our grasp.”
On Tuesday China had said it firmly opposed the deployment of a missile defence system by the US and South Korea and would “take necessary measures to safeguard (its) security interests.”
At the same time, Wang said, China-US relations were developing “in a positive direction,” referring to a phone call in February between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
During the call, Trump reaffirmed US commitment to the “One China” policy, according to which countries that seek diplomatic relations with China must break official relations with Taiwan.
As long as both sides “follow a policy of no conflict and mutual respect, there is no reason why China and the US can’t become excellent partners,” Wang said.
Regarding tensions in the South China Sea, Wang said they had “calmed down visibly,” as a result of joint efforts by China and ASEAN countries.
-dpa
