Foreign and Military Affairs

China opposes any act undermining Korean Peninsula peace

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-06-28 20:29

BEIJING - China voiced its opposition on Tuesday to any act that could undermine the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula.

"The current situation of the Korean Peninsula remains complicated and sensitive, and we hope relevant parties can do more to benefit the peninsula's peace and stability," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said in response to a question concerning the planned military drills of the Republic of Korea (ROK).

According to Seoul's Yonhap News Agency, the ROK will conduct five-day military drills near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) starting Monday in the border city of Paju near the DMZ, a 4-km-wide, 248-km-long buffer zone between the ROK and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

Hong said China sincerely hopes the peninsula can remain peaceful and stable.

"We hope relevant parties can make joint efforts with China to actively push forward dialogue, contacts and consultation for the resumption of talks," Hong said.

China hopes bilateral dialogue can lead to the resumption of the six-party talks as soon as possible, the spokesman said.

"China is committed to safeguarding the peace and stability of the peninsula with relevant parties and pushing forward its denuclearization," Hong said, adding that China maintains close coordination and communication with all parties involved.

The six-party talks, involving China, the DPRK, the United States, the ROK, Russia and Japan, began in 2003 with the goal of resolving the nuclear issue in the Korean Peninsula. Six rounds of talks were held before stalling in December 2008 over differences involving the verification protocol.