China backs 'appropriate' UN response to DPRK test

China supports the United Nations making an appropriate response to Pyongyang's latest nuclear test, but any moves should be appropriate and maintain peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said on Thursday.

Hua Chunying made the remarks after Seoul's top nuclear envoy, Lim Sung-nam, held discussions with Chinese officials during a two-day visit to Beijing that ended on Thursday.

The Republic of Korea had expected Lim to win stronger support from China on the issue of further countermeasures.

Along with the United States and Japan, the ROK backs the idea of imposing further sanctions on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea after its nuclear test on Feb 12.

"China supports the UN's appropriate response to the nuclear test of the DPRK in order to demonstrate opposition to such tests", and any moves should contribute to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and maintain regional peace and stability, Hua said.

China's stance on the DPRK's nuclear test is clear, as is China's stance on maintaining peace and stability and realizing the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, she said.

China has maintained close contact with all parties, including the ROK, on possible UN countermeasures against the DPRK, she said, adding that China always holds that the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula should only be solved through political dialogue.

China's Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Affairs Wu Dawei and Vice-Minister of the International Department of Communist Party of China Central Committee Liu Jieyi held discussions with Lim on the DPRK's nuclear issue during his trip to Beijing.

It was the first meeting between Lim and Chinese officials in charge of DPRK affairs since ROK President Park Geun-hye took office on Monday.

Lim introduced Park's idea of a "trust-building process" toward the DPRK issue, which means that the ROK will not tolerate any development of nuclear weapons by the DPRK, but will hold talks and cooperate with Pyongyang if it takes the right actions with Seoul, Yonhap News Agency reported.

Lim said the current situation on the Korean Peninsula is very grim, and the ROK's stance is to send a correct message to the DPRK so that it will not conduct further provocative actions.

However, observers and media warned sanctions alone will not solve the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula.

Chen Qi, a professor of East Asia studies at Tsinghua University, said if the DPRK's security concerns are not respected, Pyongyang's nuclear issue will not be resolved.

Every shred of evidence suggests that sanctions will not achieve their declared goal, but will worsen economic conditions in the DPRK, the Guardian commented.

zhouwa@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 03/01/2013 page11)