Yang Jiechi calls for repair to China-Korea ties

BEIJING - Chinese State Councilor for Foreign Affairs Yang Jiechi has called for joint efforts to repair South Korea-China relations under the new Moon Jae-in administration, a South Korean delegation said Tuesday.

A South Korean delegation led by Rep. Park Byeong-seug of the ruling Democratic Party held talks with Yang on Monday evening on the sidelines of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, which wrapped up its two-day run in Beijing the same day.

“Let us make efforts to restore the South Korea-China relations upon the launch of the Moon Jae-in administration,” the delegation quoted the Chinese state councilor as saying during the meeting. “It is important to respect each other over issues concerning the interests of one another,” Yang was also quoted as saying.

Touching on the security issues involving the two Koreas, the Chinese official reaffirmed China’s support for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, maintaining peace and stability there, as well as dialogue and negotiations as means of resolving any issues, according to the delegation.

“Under any condition, war should not take place on the Korean Peninsula, and there should never be any discussion or decision on the future of the Korean Peninsula without South Korea’s presence,” Park told Yang.

In response, Yang said China “will always closely discuss Korean Peninsula issues with South Korea without exceptions and will continue to cooperate with South Korea for the peace and stability of the peninsula.”

They also discussed ways to defuse bilateral feuds over South Korea’s deployment of the high-tech American missile defense system known as Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or Thaad, which has been severely protested by China, according to the delegation.

Yonhap