BEIJING, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President
Hu Jintao and his U.S. counterpart George W. Bush discussed by phone the latest
situation on the Korean Peninsula Thursday evening.
Hu told Bush that China is committed to maintaining
peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and opposed to any actions that
might intensify the situation, according to a statement from the China's Foreign
Ministry.
Bush said the United States was concerned about the
current situation on the Korean Peninsula.
"The United States still adheres to the commitment of
resolving the Korean Peninsula issue by diplomatic means", Bush was quoted as
saying.
Hu said China is "deeply concerned" over the current
situation. "Under such a complicated situation, it is highly necessary for all
the related parties to keep calm and show restraint."
China is willing to keep negotiations with related
parties on this issue, he said.
It is of vital importance for the realization of a
nuclear-weapon-free Korean Peninsula and the maintenance of peace and stability
on the peninsula to fully implement the Joint Statement, adopted at the end of
the fourth round of six-party talks in September last year, Hu said.
He called on all parties concerned to create
conditions for the resumption of the six-party talks at an early date.
Bush said the United States appreciated efforts China
has made to keep the peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.
The United States would like to keep communications
with China, Bush said.
Christopher Hill, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of
State, will visit China on Friday to talk with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wu
Dawei on how to promote the six-party talks under the current situation.
"China is willing to negotiate with the United States
on maintaining peace and stability in northeast Asia," Chinese Foreign Ministry
spokeswoman Jiang Yu said at a regular press briefing on Thursday.
She reiterated China's deep concern over the tension
caused by the missile tests, hoping the parties concerned to keep calm and
exercise restraint and avoid actions that could further intensify and complicate
the situation.
The UN Security Council met Wednesday for an
emergency meeting to discuss the missile tests by the DPRK, which reportedly
launched seven missiles on Wednesday morning.
Jiang said China hopes that the UN response to the
missile tests should be helpful to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.
Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing on July 5
discussed the situation of the Korean Peninsula with U.S. Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice in a phone conversation.
"The two sides have exchanged views on the missile
test-firing by the DPRK," Jiang said, adding they agreed to keep in contact with
each other on this issue.
Li also talked over phone with Japanese Foreign
Minister Aso Taro, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Republic of
Korea Ban Ki-Moon and Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer on Wednesday
respectively.
They exchanged views on the latest development of the
situation on the Korean Peninsula, Jiang said. Enditem
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China expresses serious concern
over DPRK's missile test-firing
BEIJING, July 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Ministry
spokesman Liu Jianchao said here Wednesday that China is "seriously concerned"
over the tensions caused by the missile test-firing by the Democratic People's
Republic of Korea (DPRK).
"We are seriously concerned with what had happened,"
Liu said in a press release.
He urged the parties concerned to keep calm and
exercise restraint, make more efforts to promote peace and stability in the
Korean Peninsula and the northeast Asia and avoid actions that further intensify
and complicate the situation.
DPRK confirms missile test
launches
File
photo shows DPRK's Taepodong 2 missile. (File
Photo) |
