China treads peaceful path after DPRK nuclear move

In this Feb 22, 2008 file image, North Korean workers operate equipment at North Korea's main nuclear reactor in Nyongbyon.[Photo/IC]

China has called for denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula and the avoidance of any actions that could escalate tension in the region.

The move follows Pyongyang's decision to reopen nuclear facilities and its threats to launch long-range rockets.

Hong Lei, a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reiterated China's denuclearization policy on the Korean Peninsula and its quest for peace and stability in the region.

"We call for solutions to the problems through dialogue, and we hope that the parties concerned will take steps conducive to maintaining the peace and stability of the peninsula.

"The Democratic People's Republic of Korea's right to exploit outer space is limited by the United Nations, and the sanctions should be carried out faithfully," Hong said.

He was commenting on Pyongyang's resumption of its main nuclear complex in Yongbyon, a city about 100 kilometers northeast of the capital, and the country's threat to launch satellites on long-range rockets.

The Republic of Korea Defense Ministry said on Tuesday that the firing of a long-range missile would represent a serious violation of the UN resolutions, but added that it had not detected any signs that the DPRK was preparing for such a launch.

Experts said Pyongyang's tactics are aimed at spurring talks with the United States, but they have also struck a blow to relations with China.

China is planning an international seminar in Beijing on Friday with parties involved in the six-nation talks on ending the DPRK's nuclear program, hoping to bring the issue back to the negotiating table.

The six-nation talks have been stalled since early 2009.

Zhu Feng, director of the Institute of International Studies at Nanjing University, said Pyongyang's decision to reopen its nuclear facilities will aggravate tensions on the Korean Peninsula and compel the UN to consider new sanctions against the country. "If so, China is very likely to support the sanctions," he said.

Shi Yongming, an Asia-Pacific studies research fellow at the China Institute of International Relations, said, "China could offer a packaged denuclearization plan, including measures to help economic development, as a solution to the problem."

Xinhua contributed to this story.