Wang Yi calls for joint efforts on Korean Peninsula

All parties should make joint efforts to create a peninsula with peace, stability, complete denuclearization and mutually beneficial cooperation, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday.

"In the course of this year, we've seen important positive developments on the Korean Peninsula," Wang said at a meeting of the United Nations Security Council at UN Headquarters in New York. "Things again have returned to the track of dialogue and negotiation."

Wang said the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Republic of Korea (ROK), seizing upon the opportunity of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, have realized a turnaround in their relations and opened a new chapter for reconciliation and cooperation.

DPRK and ROK have achieved an all-round improvement of relations and jointly undertaken the peninsula to a peaceful place free of nuclear weapons and nuclear threats, he added.

China applauds the political decisiveness and courage demonstrated by the two leaders, Wang said.

"China firmly supports the two countries in turning their leaders' consensus into concrete actions, in building mutual trust and in advancing reconciliation and cooperation on the peninsula," Wang said.

Wang stressed that China's position on the peninsula issue is consistent, China's commitment to denuclearization, to peace and the stability of the peninsula and to resolving issues through dialogue and consultation. China has put great effort and energy in this course, the recent positive developments on the peninsula are exactly what China has been working for over the years.

Wang said at this juncture, the Security Council has a duty and need to send a united and clear message to support and encourage all parties to accelerate the process of political settlement. All parties need to work together for a peaceful and stable peninsula.

The DPRK has suspended its nuclear and missile tests and gradually dismantled some facilities. And the US and ROK for their part have suspended military exercises.

Building on that, a timely release of an end-of-war declaration would articulate the political will of having no more war; it will help build basic trust and further facilitate denuclearization; and put in place the condition for a final peace accord, Wang said.

"In China's view, the political and wise decision must be made; all parties need to work together for a completely denuclearized peninsula," Wang said.

Denuclearization is a prerequisite for lasting peace on the peninsula; it's what must be done to uphold the nuclear non-proliferation regime, and it represents the shared objective of concerted global efforts, he said.

China believes that the most effective way to denuclearization is for it to be advanced in parallel with the building of a peace mechanism on the peninsula, he said.

The main players in this process are the DPRK and the US, but all stakeholders are obligated to make their respective efforts, Wang said.

The Security Council within its mandates in the UN charter had adopted several resolutions related to the DPRK; as long as these resolutions remain valid, they must continue to be implemented fully, accurately and entirely, Wang said.

China firmly believes that pressure is not the end goal. Bboth implementing sanctions and providing political settlements are equally important under Security Council resolutions, he said.

"This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Korean War Armistice agreement," said Wang. "To realize the complete denuclearization, and build a peace mechanism on the peninsula is China's consistent proposition and a shared international consensus."

Contact the writer at ruinanzhang@chinadailyusa.com