China: Only political dialogue can solve Korean Peninsula issue

CHINA on Wednesday reiterated its stance that political dialogue is the key to resolving the Korean Peninsula issue amid fresh reports from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) that Pyongyang is committed to complete denuclearization.

"CHINA has always advocated that the Korean Peninsula issue can only be solved in peaceful means through political dialogue," spokesperson for Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Lu Kang said at a regular press conference on Wednesday.

"Time has repeatedly proven that the crux to maintain such a dialogue and make progress, is for both sides to address each other's reasonable concerns in a balanced manner," Lu said.

"Only in this way can both parties accumulate mutual trust and consensus, and create conditions for the political settlement step by step."

Since the second summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and DPRK leader Kim Jong Un in Hanoi, both sides have expressed willingness to maintain dialogue.

The DPRK media ran an article by a Foreign Ministry official on Tuesday, in which they said Pyongyang is committed to a nuclear-free Peninsula as well as a new type of DPRK-U.S. relationship. They added that Pyongyang is steadfast in building a permanent and stable "peace regime" on the Peninsula.

On the same day, Moon Chung-in, anational securityadviser to the president of the Republic of Korea, stated that the U.S. should seek a gradual denuclearization of the DPRK.

(Cover: U.S. President Donald Trump (L) and DPRK leader Kim Jong Un meet at the Metropole Hotel in Hanoi, Vietnam, February 27, 2019. /VCG Photo)