China firmly opposes DPRK's nuclear test, calls for early resumption of Six-Party Talks

UNITED NATIONS -- China on Tuesday voiced its firm opposition to the Sept. 9 nuclear test by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), and called for an early resumption of the Six-Party Talks in order to solve the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue through political and peaceful means.

Liu Jieyi, the Chinese permanent representative to the United Nations, made the remarks as he was taking the floor at the UN Security Council after the 15-nation UN body unanimously adopted a resolution to tighten its sanction against the DPRK in response to its nuclear test in September, the country's fifth one since 2006.

"On Sept. 9 this year, the DPRK conducted yet another nuclear test in defiance of the new universal objection of the international community," Liu said. "The Chinese government firmly opposes such an act."

In the new resolution, the Security Council decides that the DPRK shall not supply, sell or transfer coal, iron and iron ore from its territory or by its nationals. However, the resolution said that the provision shall not apply with respect to transactions in iron and iron ore that are determined to be exclusively for livelihood purposes and unrelated to generating revenue for the DPRK's nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

"The resolution adopted by the Security Council today demonstrates the uniform stand of the international community against the development by the DPRK of its nuclear programs and for the maintenance of the international non-proliferation regime," he said. "The resolution reaffirms the need to safeguard the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia, commits to seeking a solution to this issue by peaceful, diplomatic and political means, supports the resumption of the Six-Party Talks."

The Six-Party Talks, involving China, the DPRK, the United States, the Republic of Korea, Russia and Japan, were a multilateral mechanism aimed at solving the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue. The talks began in 2003 and stalled in December 2008. The DPRK quit the talks in April 2009.

The new resolution also emphasized the importance of easing the tension on the Korean Peninsula by all the parties concerned, Liu said. "As the resolution notes, the relevant measures are not intended to produce negative consequences on the DPRK's humanitarian situation and the livelihood of its people, nor to affect normal economic and trade activities."

"China urges the parties concerned to effectively implement the relevant provisions of the council resolution in its entirety," he said.

Since the beginning of 2016, the DPRK has conducted two nuclear tests and multiple ballistic missile tests, Liu noted, adding that on the other hand, certain parties have kept strengthening military deployment, increasing military presence and scaling up military exercises.

"As a result, the confrontation on the peninsula has intensified, plunging into a vicious circle," he said. "This situation must be changed as soon as possible."

As a close neighbor of the Korean Peninsula, China has all along insisted on the denuclearization resolution of the peninsula and the maintenance of peace and stability in the region, he said. "We have always called for the settlement of this issue through dialogue and consultations, and fought against turmoil and conflicts on the peninsula."

Meanwhile, Liu said, "China is opposed to the deployment of THAAD anti-missile system on the Korean Peninsula as it seriously undermines the strategic security interest of China and other countries of the region, and upsets the regional strategic balance."

"As such, it is neither conducive to the realization of the goal of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, nor helpful to the maintenance of peace and stability on the peninsula," he said. "China urges the parties concerned to immediately stop the relevant deployment process."

China has repeatedly voiced its strong opposition to the deployment of the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) system in South Korea.

"The current situation on the Korean Peninsula is sensitive, complex and dire," he said. "All parties must look at the big picture, meet each other half-way, and avoid any statement or action that might exacerbate the tension."

"The top priority at hand is for the parties concerned to resume dialogue and negotiations at an early date and re-launch the Six-Party Talks as soon as possible so as to work together in a genuine effort to safeguard the denuclearization process and realise peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula," he said.

"China urges the parties concerned to push forward in parallel the negotiations on the denuclearization on the one hand, and on the replacement of the Armistice Agreement with a peace treaty on the other," he said. "China will persist in advancing dialogue and consultations with a view to solving the relevant issue within the framework of the Six-Party Talks."

Signed in 1953 to end the Korean War, the armistice agreement is designed to "insure a complete cessation of hostilities and of all acts of armed force in Korea until a final peaceful settlement is achieved."

China is ready to continue to play an active and constructive role in order to bring lasting peace and stability to the Korean Peninsula, he added.