China and Russia jointly circulated a draft resolution on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in the United Nations Security Council last Friday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday. 

Reuters reported earlier Tuesday that China and Russia are pushing the Security Council to ease sanctions on the DPRK. Confirming the report, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin explained considerations behind the move. 

Amid the ongoing stalemate in advancing the political settlement of the Korean Peninsula issue, China and Russia drafted the resolution to create a favorable atmosphere for an early start of talks among relevant parties, Wang said at a regular press briefing. 

Denuclearization talks between the United States and the DPRK have stalled since a summit between then U.S. President Donald Trump and DPRK leader Kim Jong Un in February 2019 collapsed without a deal. 

Wang said the DPRK has taken a number of denuclearization measures in recent years, adding that the country's legitimate and reasonable concerns should be taken seriously and addressed.

International sanctions and the COVID-19 pandemic have caused negative impacts on the economy and people's livelihood in the DPRK, he said, calling on the Security Council to facilitate external support and help to the country. 

The Security Council should invoke the reversible provisions in the DPRK-related resolutions at appropriate time and make adjustments to some sanction measures concerning the economy and people's livelihood, he said. 

Wang also called on the international community to support Seoul and Pyongyang to improve inter-Korean relations. 

This is the second time in recent years that China and Russia jointly put forward a draft resolution on the political settlement of the Korean Peninsula issue. The two countries called for easing sanctions on Pyongyang in a similar draft resolution in late 2019. 

During the press briefing on Tuesday, Wang stressed that China has been playing a constructive role in promoting peace talks on the Peninsula. He urged the U.S. to put forward a plan for dialogue that addresses the DPRK's reasonable concerns. 

(Cover: The national flag of the DPRK. /CFP)