China, ROK plan to put ties back on track

Beijing and Seoul have agreed to put exchanges and cooperation back on the track of normal development at an early date following their recent diplomatic communications, according to a Foreign Ministry news release on Tuesday.

The two countries agreed that they will communicate on issues regarding the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense anti-missile system through military channels, the release said.

Experts called the fresh progress part of their joint efforts to move closer to each other, repair two-way ties and avoid a nuclear arms race that would further complicate Northeast Asia's complicated security landscape.

Their diplomatic ties, strengthened a quarter-century ago, have undergone a chill in recent years partly because the United States' THAAD system, installed in the southern ROK, has radar with the capability of covering part of China. China has continuously reiterated that it opposes the deployment.

The Tuesday release said the ROK has acknowledged China's position and concerns on the THAAD issue. Seoul told Beijing that THAAD was deployed in the ROK in accordance with its original purpose, and it does not target a third country.

When asked if there is any change in China's position on THAAD, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Tuesday that China's position in this regard is clear, consistent and "there is no change" in it.

Hua mentioned recent pledges made by Seoul and its officials, including that the ROK is not considering any additional deployment of THAAD, that it won't participate in US-led missile defense networks, and that US-Japan-ROK trilateral security cooperation won't extend to a military alliance.

It is hoped Seoul will translate these words into actions, Hua said. Properly tackling the THAAD issue and eliminating stumbling blocks for bilateral ties is a common aspiration of both countries, she said at a regular news conference in Beijing.

China also stated its positions and concerns on the topics in the release on Tuesday, with Seoul once again reiterating its stance.

Su Xiaohui, an international strategy researcher at the China Institute of International Studies, said the release displays the shared will of both sides to keep THAAD from further damaging their overall ties, showing the two sides "are in the process of meeting halfway".

"Seoul has known that its own security could never be ensured at the cost of others', and it needs cooperation with Beijing over issues including those involving the peninsula," Su said.

Ruan Zongze, vice-president of CIIS, said the improving bilateral ties could get a boost if Seoul fulfills its latest pledges on anti-missile issues, which is key to ending the strain between them.

On the Korean Peninsula situation, the release said the two sides reiterated their commitment to resolving the nuclear issue through all diplomatic means and said they will enhance strategic communication and cooperation in this regard.

zhangyunbi@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 11/01/2017 page1)