Mr. Chairman,
China takes note of the Director-General’s introductory statement on the Application of Safeguards in the DPRK and supports the Agency’s due role in this regard.
Mr. Chairman,
The situation on the Korean Peninsula continues to be tense and facing uncertainties. Despite the lack of fundamental change in the direct confrontation with the US and the ROK, the DPRK has send out signals for its willingness to engage. The Korean Peninsula is currently at a crucial stage of shifting from sanctioning, pressuring to engagement and dialogue. China hopes that the relevant parties avoid provocative rhetoric or actions that would lead to escalation of the situation and jointly make positive effort to ease the tension. At the same time, all parties concerned should timely seize every opportunity in favor of resuming dialogue and negotiation, showcase flexibility, release sincerity and bring the Peninsula nuclear issue back to the right track of dialogue and negotiations at an early date. The international community should step up efforts on both fronts to strengthen nonproliferation and promote dialogue for peace, with a view to facilitating the peaceful settlement of the nuclear issue on the Peninsula.
China always stands for denuclearization and the maintenance of peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, as well as settlement of this issue through dialogue and negotiations. As a close neighbor to the Peninsula and a responsible country, China is firmly opposed to the DPRK’s nuclear and missile activities and supports the United Nations Security Council in making necessary and proper responses to the DPRK’s nuclear and missile activities. China has been working to persuade and stop the DPRK through bilateral channels and has strictly implemented all DPRK-related Security Council resolutions. At the same time, China is firmly opposed to the likelihood of war and chaos on the Peninsula and has made unremitting effort to facilitate a solution through political and diplomatic means.
The root cause for the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula goes back to the remnants of the Cold War and the serious lack of trust among the concerned parties. To find a fundamental solution to the problem, one must work on both the symptoms and the root causes, take an integrated approach and address the legitimate concerns of all parties in a balanced manner. In view of this, China has proposed the “dual-track” approach which aims at promoting parallel progress in denuclearization and the establishment of a peace mechanism on the Peninsula, and has also put forward the “suspension for suspension” proposal, which calls for suspension of nuclear and missile activities by the DPRK and the suspension of massive military exercises by the US and the ROK. China’s proposal is aimed at easing the tension on the Peninsula, seeking a breakthrough in the resumption of dialogue and eventually achieving the lasting peace and security on the Peninsula and in the region at large. We hope for a positive response from all parties. At the same time, China is open to all constructive formulas that are conducive to solving the dilemma on the Peninsula.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.