China welcomes DPRK's decision to suspend nuclear, ICBM tests

BEIJING - China on Saturday welcomed the decision made by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to discontinue nuclear tests and intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launches.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang made the remarks in a statement.

The decision was announced by DPRK leader Kim Jong Un at the Third Plenary Meeting of the Seventh Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) on Friday, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.

The DPRK will discontinue nuclear tests and intercontinental ballistic rocket test-fire from April 21, the KCNA said.

The northern nuclear test ground of the DPRK will be dismantled to transparently guarantee the discontinuance of nuclear tests, it added.

The KCNA quoted Kim as saying that the mission to build a nuclear force has been completed and now the strategic route for the WPK is to concentrate on economic construction.

China believes that the decision made by the DPRK will help ease the situation and promote the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula as well as a political settlement of the peninsula issue, said Lu.

A nuclear-free peninsula and lasting peace in the region are in line with the common interests of the people on the peninsula and in the region, he said, adding they are also the common expectation of the international community.

"We hope that the DPRK will continue to achieve results in its economic development and improvement of people's living standards," said Lu.

He said China supports the DPRK and the parties concerned to resolve their respective concerns through dialogue and consultation, so as to improve their relations.

It is hoped that all parties concerned will meet each other halfway, take concrete actions and make due efforts to achieve lasting peace and common development in the region, said Lu.

"China will continue to play an active role in this regard," he said.