Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the United States to stay committed to the goal of achieving complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and building a peace regime on Thursday afternoon.
Meeting with DPRK Vice Foreign Minister Ri Kil Song in Beijing shortly after the end of the second summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and DPRK leader Kim Jong Un, Wang called on Pyongyang and Washington to maintain patience, continue their dialogue, and meet each other halfway, adding that China is willing to continue playing a constructive role in issues on the peninsula.
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Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (front, R) meets with DPRK Vice Foreign Minister Ri Kil Song (front, L) in Beijing, February 28, 2019. /Reuters Photo
Trump and Kim held talks in Vietnam's capital Hanoi on Wednesday and Thursday but failed to reach a concrete agreement. The U.S. president said the two sides will keep on talking.
Commenting on the summit, Wang said DPRK-U.S. talks have entered a "deep-water zone" and it is inevitable that difficulties would emerge in one way or another. He underscored China's optimism in the prospect of talks.
This year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and the DPRK. Wang and Ri agreed that the two countries should work together to further improve their relations in the new era.
(CGTN's Liu Jiaxin also contributed to the story.)