China, Russia: Settle peninsula peacefully

China and Russia agreed that the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue must be solved through peaceful means, according to a statement released on Monday by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the road map jointly proposed by China and Russia is "realistic and feasible", and both sides need more understanding and support from the international community.

Wang made the remarks during his meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in New York on Monday during the 72nd United Nations General Assembly.

The joint initiative issued on July 4 is based on China's proposal for a dual-track approach and "suspension for suspension initiative" and Russia's step-by-step approach.

China will continue to strictly implement the UN Security Council resolutions and shoulder due international obligations, while other relevant parties should assume their responsibilities and play their roles in the peninsula nuclear situation, Wang said in the statement.

The "worsening vicious cycle" must be broken, he said, adding that resumption of dialogue and negotiation is also necessary part of implementing the resolutions.

China urged for calm from all relevant parties on Sept 13 as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea rejected the latest UN Security Council resolution imposing new sanctions in response to its Sept 3 nuclear test.

Lavrov said Russia shares China's stance on the peninsula nuclear issue, and China and US need to jointly push for efforts to solve the issue peacefully, according to the statement.

Wang expressed appreciation for Russia's contribution to the recent ninth BRICS Summit in Xiamen earlier this month. He said both sides need to be well-prepared for a series of important high-level exchanges this year and push for more concrete achievements in bilateral relations.

Lavrov said Russia is willing to deepen strategic collaboration with China in the framework of BRICS, the UN and Shanghai Cooperation Organization. While meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the sidelines of the UNGA on Monday, Wang expressed China's hope for the UN to play a more important role, as the world faces multiple uncertain and unstable factors. He vowed to deepen cooperation with the UN to cope with various global challenges.

Wang said that the UN and secretary-general strongly agree with a number of initiatives and proposals advocated by President Xi Jinping, including building a shared future, an open world economy and rebalancing the process of economic globalization, which was appreciated by the China side.

China is willing to further strengthen cooperation with the UN and safeguard the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and the process of multilateralism, along with investment in development issues and improving the effectiveness of peacekeeping operations.

Guterres said the UN put strong emphasis on China's international status and influence and appreciates China's leadership in peacekeeping efforts, solving hot issues, countering climate change and implementing the 2030 sustainable development goals. The UN is willing to work with China to solve world challenges.

In his meeting Monday with Miroslav Lajcak, president of the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly, Wang said China appreciates that the assembly stresses development and holds a "human-oriented" general debate, in line with the sustainable development goals and the will of members.

The reform of the UN has drawn concerns from various parties, Wang said. China supports UN reform, but at the same time, China hopes that the process can be advanced steadily on the basis of fully listening to the views of UN member states, Wang said.

Lajcak said the UN pays attention to China's view on UN reform and will promote the process in a step-by-step way led by member states.

US President Donald Trump hosted a short event on Monday on his first visit to UN headquarters as president.

"In recent years, the United Nations has not reached its full potential due to bureaucracy and mismanagement," Trump said. "We are not seeing the results in line with this investment."

Guterres has said the UN's "Byzantine procedures" and "endless red tape" need to be addressed.

(China Daily USA?09/19/2017 page1)