China envoy wants US dialogue in solving Korean crisis

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The United States should seize the current ease in tensions on the Korean Peninsula to engage in dialogue with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), a senior Chinese official has said.

Kong Xuanyou, China's Vice Foreign Minister and Special Representative on Korean Peninsula Affairs, speaking in a television interview, welcomed and supported the recent "positive" exchanges between the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the DPRK.

The two sides have reached an important consensus on the PyeongChang Winter Olympics and reduced tensions on the peninsula that have been caused by Pyongyang's nuclear and missile program.

Kong told the Hong Kong-based Phoenix Television in Beijing on Monday that further progress was dependent on three key factors, one of which is whether the interaction can provide an opportunity for the dialogue between the DPRK and US.

"We hope that the US will … seize the new favorable opportunities to seek a direct dialogue with the DPRK to resolve their respective legitimate concerns through dialogue, and to promote the process of the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula through mutual care of such reasonable concerns," he said.

Kwon Hyok Bong, director of the Arts and Performance Bureau in DPRK's Culture Ministry, shakes hands with Lee Woo-sung, head of the Culture and Arts Policy Office at the Culture Ministry, after their meeting at Tongilgak in the truce village of Panmunjom, on Sunday. /VCG Photo

A second factor is whether the current positive trend in North-South interaction can continue, and the third is whether the positive interaction surrounding the Winter Olympics will be able to turn into a political dialogue concerning the resolution of the Peninsula issue.

Kong said that the China-proposed suspension-for-suspension initiative, which calls for the DPRK to suspend its nuclear and missile activities and for the US and the ROK to suspend their large-scale war games, and dual-track approach, which seeks to advance denuclearization and establish a peace mechanism in parallel, are meant to look for a breakthrough and set up a bridge for dialogue between all parties concerned.

"We hope that at this time and in the future, we can take advantage of the resumption of dialogue between the two countries, promote bilateral and multilateral exchanges, and create conditions for lasting and stable political conversation on Peninsula issue through 'low-threshold, coordinated and small steps'," the envoy said.

VCG Photo

"Low threshold" means that all parties should refrain from setting aside some unacceptable premises for the resumption of dialogue. In particular, they should not regard the future issues that need resolving during the dialogue as a prerequisite for restarting the dialogue.

"Coordinated steps" are in line with the principle of "commitment for commitment, action for action" set by the six-party talks – involving China, Japan, the DPRK, Russia, the ROK and the US – on Sept. 19, 2005.

From left, US Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill, Japanese delegation leader Kenichiro Sasae, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei, ROK's Deputy Foreign Minister Song Min-soon, DPRK's chief negotiator Kim Gye Gwan and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Alexeyev shake hands at the close of talks over DPRK nuclear program held at the Diaoyutai State Guest House in Beijing, Sept. 19, 2005. /VCG Photo

"Small steps" are recommended because the Korean Peninsula issue is very complicated, and it takes a long time to resolve the problem, requiring the parties to be patient and not to rush for success.

Six-party talks still have vitality

Kong said the six-party talks are a useful and effective platform for all parties to solve the Peninsula issue through political dialogue.

"We always believed that the Peninsula issue can only be solved through dialogue. As long as everyone upholds this idea, the six-party talks will be viable," Kong said. "There is only one option for resolving the Peninsula issue, that is dialogue, and there is no second option."

"We hope that not only will both sides of the ROK and DRPK continue to act side by side, continuously making constructive efforts, and all other parties concerned should also make necessary support and cooperation for contacts between the two, and for their improving mutual understanding and mutual trust through contacts, so as to create conditioned needed to resolve the issue through dialogue," Kong said.

"China is ready to work with all parties concerned to work on this."