BEIJING (Sputnik) – North Korea and the United States should make more of an effort to settle the perilous situation over Pyongyang's nuclear program currently transpiring on the Korean Peninsula, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Thursday.
"Lately, the Korean peninsula crisis has been showing certain signs of de-escalation, however, the situation is still very difficult and sensitive. The parties, especially North Korea and the United States, have to step up their efforts to resolve it," Hua said at a briefing.
"China hopes that all the parties involved will fully observe Resolution 2371 of the UN Security Council and continue to take steps to counter the development of the DPRK [North Korea] nuclear program, but also fulfill their commitments and take more efforts to renew the talks as soon as possible," Hua added.
She also said that China's so-called double freeze plan appeared to be the most rational, realistic and implementable way to settle the Korean crisis, expressing her hope that all the involved parties would seriously consider and accept the initiative.
Tensions around Pyongyang's missile program have flared up in the recent weeks, following the adoption of the UN Security Council sanctions (UNSC Resolution 2371), which led to North Korea trading threats and warnings with the United States. Most notably, Pyongyang said it might consider an attack on the area near the US territory of Guam in the Western Pacific.
In June, China initiated a road map for the settlement of North Korean crisis, a so-called double freeze plan, which outlines a scenario where there is simultaneous cessation of North Korea's nuclear activity and US-South Korean military exercises. The initiative has been supported by Russia but rejected by the United States. North Korea has yet to issue a response to the proposal.
