Can China and the US find more common ground on DPRK?

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US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson landed in Beijing on Saturday to lay the groundwork for US President Donald Trump's planned visit to China in November. During his talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, State Councilor Yang Jiechi and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the two sides exchanged views on bilateral relations and the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

As the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) continues to conduct missile tests, the war of words between its leader Kim Jong Un and Trump have escalated. The world is keeping a close eye on the interaction between senior Chinese and American officials – can Beijing and Washington expand their common ground and find a solution to the DPRK crisis?

Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) shakes hands with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (L) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, September 30, 2017. /Reuters Photo

Both China and the US are committed to the ultimate goal of denuclearization on the peninsula, but they disagree on the best way to move forward. Beijing stresses that dialogue and negotiation are the only way out for the DPRK nuclear issue, urging a peaceful solution, while Washington puts more emphasis on sanctions and pressure, threatening Pyongyang with "military solutions." Can Tillerson's visit narrow the gap?

Managing differences through dialogue

There are many steps that the US could take to "establish a peace[ful] regime in East Asia" and "work as a partner" with China, said Emanuel Yi Pastreich, associate professor at the College of International Studies of Kyung Hee University in Seoul and director of think tank the Asian Institute.

Pastreich told CGTN that the first thing for Tillerson to do in Beijing is to make sure the US and China can work together as partners.

There are some positive signals as both sides aim for more joint efforts to cool tension on the peninsula.

Xi told Tillerson that China and the US should enhance communication and coordination on the main international and regional issues and properly manage their differences through dialogue and consultation. The top US diplomat agreed that the two countries should deepen mutual trust and work closely to address international and regional challenges.

Xi and Trump have maintained frequent communication through telephone calls, exchanging views on regional hotspot issues. The two countries have been working hard to expand consensus on how to deal the DPRK issues and avoid the worst case scenario.

"Cooperation is the only correct choice" for China and the US, the Chinese president reiterated during his meeting with Tillerson.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with his US counterpart Donald Trump at the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, the US, April 6, 2017. /Xinhua Photo

Meeting each other halfway

Despite their differences, there are encouraging signs that Beijing and Washington are trying to meet each other halfway.

In August, the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said "sanctions are needed" though they are not "the ultimate goal," stressing that the key to ending the crisis is both sanctions and dialogue.

China supported the United Nations Security Council's efforts to step up sanctions against the DPRK in August and September, following Pyongyang's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and hydrogen bomb tests. Beijing has given a 120-day deadline for DPRK companies on the Chinese mainland to close down by January.

After his talks with Chinese officials, Tillerson said on Saturday that Washington's objective for the DPRK is still denuclearization and "not regime change," according to a CBS News report, which cited him stating that the US is still striving to engage the DPRK diplomatically in a "step-by-step process."

The US is "probing" Pyongyang to see whether it would like to talk, Tillerson told a group of reporters in Beijing, adding that Washington has multiple direct channels of communication with the DPRK.

'Do something to de-escalate tension'

China has done a lot to solve the DPRK nuclear issue, but it is "not the key" to break the current deadlock, Lyu Xiang from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences told CGTN, explaining that China is not the root of the conflict between Pyongyang and Washington.

He indicated that verbal threats between the US and the DPRK could only worsen the situation.

As Trump threatened to "totally destroy" the DPRK, Kim blasted Trump as a "mentally deranged US dotard" and DPRK Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho warned that his country could shoot down US bombers, tension between the two countries rose sharply during recent weeks.

On Tuesday, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman urged Washington and Pyongyang to realize that their war of words "will only increase the risk of confrontation and reduce the room for policy maneuvers."

Lyu said the Trump administration "needs to understand eventually it is the responsibility of the United States to de-escalate this situation," adding that the crisis would not be solved unless the US and the DPRK do something to cool the tension.

South Korean soldiers take part in a military drill held as a part of the Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercise in Yongin, South Korea, August 29, 2017. /Reuters Photo

China has been calling for a suspension of DPRK's nuclear and ballistic missile programs in exchange for a halt of large-scale military exercises by the US and South Korea, describing it as the most realistic approach to break the vicious cycle of endless nuclear tests, missile launches and military drills.

But neither side has taken Beijing's advice so far, and the tension keeps escalating to more dangerous levels.

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