How important is China’s role in ending the Korean War?

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By CGTN’s The Point

In the Panmunjom Declaration, a joint statement released by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and Republic of Korea (ROK), after the Inter-Korean summit on April 27, stated that the two countries would push for a trilateral conference with the US or a four-party forum that also included China to discuss officially ending the Korean War.

“China is unlikely to be excluded given that China was one of the signatories to the 1953 Armistice Agreement, and also China will play a very important role in guaranteeing any kind of permanent peace regime,” said Tat Yan Kong, an associate professor of Comparative Politics at the School of Oriental and African Studies in the University of London.

Zhao Tong, a fellow at the Carnegie-Tsinghua Center for Global Policy, echoed Kong, adding that since China was one of the signatories, it’s natural for a follow-on meeting to include China at the negotiation table for a new peace treaty to replace the armistice.

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Given the fact that China and the DPRK have a long and special relationship and China’s overall role in the region is widely recognized by all other parties, “China’s voice can’t be absent,” Zhao said.

He added that China could play a very special role in concrete steps to disarm the DPRK. “For example, North Korea (DPRK) has committed to close down its nuclear test site. China as an experienced nuclear weapons state possesses the technical expertise to contribute to verify that step.”

He also mentioned the potential role China could play in the DPRK's economic development. "In that case, Chinese efforts to promote economic cooperation with North Korea (DPRK) without violating any international law or existing UN security resolutions, will be very helpful to bring North Korea (DPRK) back into the international community as a normal member,” Zhao concluded.

The Point with Liu Xin is a 30-minute current affairs program on CGTN. It airs weekdays at 9:30 p.m. BJT (1330GMT), with rebroadcasts at 5:30 a.m. (2130GMT) and 10:30 a.m. (0230GMT).