ROK's president praises China's handling of DPRK nuclear issue

President Xi Jinping said on Thursday that China continues to support the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and seeks to resolve the issue through dialogue and consultation.

Xi made the remark in his first meeting with Republic of Korea President Moon Jae-in in Berlin. Both presidents will travel to Hamburg to attend the G20 Summit on Friday and Saturday.

Xi said China insists on maintaining peace and stability on the peninsula, and said all sides should strictly abide by UN Security Council resolutions.

China supports the new ROK government's positive efforts toward restarting talks with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to improve relations, he said, adding that the international community should make joint efforts to play a positive role in easing the current tension.

Moon spoke highly of China's handling of the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, saying the ROK hopes to enhance coordination and cooperation with China to achieve denuclearization and safeguard the region's peace and stability.

Xi also called on the ROK to attach importance to China's concerns and properly handle relevant issues. The China-ROK relationship has run into unwelcome difficulties recently, he said.

China has repeatedly expressed opposition to the US deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system in the ROK, saying it gravely harms the strategic security interests of China, Russia and other countries in the region.

China has not changed its stance dedicated to the development of China-ROK relations, Xi said, adding that the two countries should have a long-term perspective and respect each other's core interests and major concerns. He called on the ROK to sweep away the obstacles hindering the improvement of ties.

China would like to seize the opportunity brought by the 25th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations to review the experiences and lessons of the past quarter century and put the relationship back on the right trackof healthy and stable development, Xi said.

During the talks, Xi mentioned his telephone call with Moon in May immediately after Moon won the presidential election. They exchanged views on issues of common concern in a candid manner through the phone call, he recalled.

Xi said he appreciated Moon's sending Lee Hae-chan as a special envoy to China in May to express the ROK's willingness to improve and develop relations. He also noted that Moon sent a government delegation to attend the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation held in Beijing in May.

Moon said he fully understands China's concerns, and is willing to have intensive communications.

"The two countries have had good interactions since I became president," he said, adding that China and the ROK, with their long history of exchanges and wide common interests, have become important partners.

Ruan Zongze, executive vice-president of the China Institute of International Studies, called the first meeting between the two heads of state "very important and timely", as the Korean Peninsula's situation has seen new developments with the latest missile launch by the DPRK.

The meeting showed that both sides have reached "basic consensus" over how to solve the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, which is through dialogue and consultation, Ruan said.

It also showed that "both sides hope to improve China-ROK ties and step out of the impasse", he said, adding that the key to improving ties is in the hands of the ROK.

Wang Qingyun contributed to this story.

anbaijie@chinadaily.com.cn