The Security Council resolutions contain explicit provisions on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea using ballistic missile technology to conduct launching activities. China opposes the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s launching activities, which violate Council resolutions and run counter to the will of the entire international community.

China has always insisted on achieving the objective of the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, maintaining peace and stability on the Peninsula and seeking a solution through dialogue and consultation. We have always been firmly opposed to chaos and conflict on the Peninsula. In our view, these are the fundamental goal of resolution 2371 (2017) is all about. Its unanimous adoption by the Council demonstrates that the international community has a united position with regard to the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.

There are three major components to this resolution. First, it sets out further sanctions targeting the nuclear and missile program of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Secondly, the resolution does not intend to impact negatively activities that are not prohibited by the resolution, such as economic activities and cooperation, or food and humanitarian assistance. Thirdly, it calls for the resumption of the Six-Party Talks, commits to finding a solution through peaceful, diplomatic and political means, and stresses the importance of de-escalating tensions on the Peninsula by the parties concerned. China believes that these are part and parcel of this resolution, and all parties should implement the provisions contained therein fully and earnestly.

China has been making tireless efforts to promote the denuclearization of the Peninsula and to uphold peace and stability there. On 4 July, China and Russia issued a joint statement on the issue of the Korean Peninsula. Both of our countries put forward a road map for the resolution of this issue, based on China’s proposals of the dual-track approach, which promotes the denuclearization of the Peninsula and the establishment of a peace mechanism in parallel, and the “suspension for suspension” initiative, which calls for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to suspend its nuclear and missile activities, and for the United States and the Republic of Korea to suspend their large-scale military exercises, together with on Russia’s step-by-step conception. This China-Russia joint initiative is realistic and feasible. It aims to tackle both the symptoms and the root causes of the problem and to seek a solution through an integrated approach. We hope that this initiative will receive a positive response and support from the relevant parties.

China has taken note that the United States has recently indicated once again that the US does not seek a regime change in the DPRK, does not seek a regime collapse in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, does not hurry to push for the reunification of the Peninsula, and will not send its troops north of the thirty-eighth parallel. It is our hope that the United States will translate these “four Nos” into concrete policies towards the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

Beefing up military deployment on the Peninsula will in no way help realize denuclearization there and maintain regional peace and stability. The deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile system will not bring a solution to the issue of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s nuclear testing and missile launching. It will seriously undermine the strategic balance of the region and endanger the strategic security interests of regional countries, including China. China strongly urges the parties concerned to stop the process of this deployment and to remove relevant equipment.

Realizing denuclearization and lasting peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula is in the interests of all the parties. China urges the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to abide by Council resolutions and to cease taking actions that might further escalate tensions on the Peninsula. We hope that the parties concerned will immediately take concrete action to prevent the situation from further escalating, create conditions for the resumption of talks and undertake efforts to bring, at an early date, the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue back to the right track, that of seeking a peaceful solution through dialogue and consultation.

(Photo by Li Muzi, Xinhua News Agency)