State Councilor: six-party talks offer another opportunity to resolve Korean nuclear issue peacefully
Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan said on Tuesday Aug. 26 that the Beijing six-party talks due to begin Wednesday
offer another important opportunity for peacefully resolving the Korean nuclear issue.
Tang spoke at the third Korea-China Leader's Forum that opened here Tuesday, jointly hosted by the Chinese People's
Institute of Foreign Affairs and the 21C Korea-China Exchange Association from the Republic of Korea (ROK).
He said China's position on the Korean nuclear issue had been consistent and steadfast. China seeks to safeguard peace
and stability on a nuclear-free peninsula through peaceful dialogue, and ease the security concerns of the Democratic
People's Republic
of Korea (DPRK).
China was pleased to see the ROK would participate in the six-party talks, and hoped it would play a positive and
constructive role in the process, Tang said.
He said China hoped to continue enhancing coordination and negotiation with the ROK for the eventual peaceful solution
to the crisis through dialogue.
He said bilateral ties had developed rapidly in the past 11 years since China and the ROK forged diplomatic relations.
Both countries were concerned about regional peace and stability and strove to dissolve conflicts that might cause
tension.
The state councilor expressed belief that with the continuous expansion of exchanges between the two nations, the
China-ROK friendly cooperation would make even greater progress.