Asia Pacific
17:34, 18-Apr-2019
China: Political settlement of Korean Peninsula nuclear issue 'at key stage' after DPRK holds weapon test
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The political settlement of the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue is at a key stage, and China encourages all concerned parties, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the United States in particular, to meet each other halfway, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said Thursday at a regular press conference in response to the DPRK's weapon test.
The DPRK announced the test-firing of a new tactical weapon with a "powerful warhead" on Wednesday, state media Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported. DPRK leader Kim Jong Un supervised the test.
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China hopes the two parties will strengthen dialogue and actively engage in easing the tension on the Korean Peninsula, said Lu, adding that such momentum for dialogue meets the common interests of all parties.
China holds an unchanged position on advancing denuclearization and political settlement on the peninsula and believes that the nuclear issue should be solved step by step with a package plan, said Lu. He made similar remarks on Monday when asked for comments on a possible third summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and DPRK's leader Kim Jong Un.
Last Friday, Kim expressed his wiliness to meet Trump for a third time. He also urged both parties to "give up their unilateral terms and seek a constructive solution that meets each other's interests."