1. Text: | Print|

      Xi, Park tackle nuclear issue

      2014-07-04 08:35 Global Times Web Editor: Li Yan
      1

      Talks between Chinese and South Korean leaders Thursday injected momentum into bilateral economic cooperation, including a free trade deal, and discussed denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. But divergences remain on the appropriate way to deal with Pyongyang.  [Special coverage]

      Chinese President Xi Jinping, who arrived in Seoul on Thursday morning for a two-day state visit, received a warm reception and held talks with his South Korean counterpart Park Geun-hye.

      Addressing a press briefing following the talks, Park said Xi's visit serves as a clear message for denuclearization of North Korea, reported the Yonhap News Agency.

      It is the first time that a Chinese president has visited Seoul before Pyongyang after taking office. The last China-North Korea summit was held three years ago.

      "In today's summit the two leaders agreed that the denuclearization of North Korea should be realized by all means and agreed that [we] resolutely oppose a nuclear test," Park was quoted as saying by AFP.

      However, the joint statement released by the Xinhua News Agency didn't name North Korea and referred to the issue as denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula, which is consistent with Pyongyang's claim that denuclearization must apply to the whole peninsula, including the US nuclear umbrella.

      In the joint statement, the two countries agreed that denuclearization and maintaining peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula are in the common interests of all countries involved in the Six-Party Talks, and called for efforts to create conditions for resumption of the talks.

      No explicit criticism of Pyongyang was included in the document, though Seoul had hoped that China could endorse its position of zero tolerance on North Korea's possession of nuclear weapons.

      Kim Heung-kyu, a professor with the Department of Political Science at Ajou University in Suwon, South Korea, said Beijing is reluctant to make straightforward statements against North Korea. "Given the uncertainty in the future, China must leave some room for maneuvering, so it's reasonable for China to keep its own position on denuclearization on the peninsula," Kim told the Global Times.

      The expert also noted that Xi's visit to Seoul itself acts as a strong signal to the North that Chinese foreign policy is changing toward pragmatism instead of ideological bonds or geopolitical heritage.

      China's policy objectives on the peninsula used to stress stability over denuclearization, but analysts say the top priority has been shifting as China takes a more active role in denuclearization.

      "Since 2012, the US has deployed advanced weaponry such as B-52 bombers to the region, citing North Korea's threat. It made China realize the grave threat imposed by the US rebalancing strategy, so it gave rise to the importance of denuclearization," said Wang Sheng, a professor on international politics studies at Jilin University.

      Kim Heung-kyu attributed the recent adjustments in China's North Korea policy to the country's changing "foreign policy DNA," noting as China's identity becomes that of a great power, its calculations on the peninsula have also evolved.

      "Extending China's influence over the whole peninsula [instead of just North Korea] can better serve its national interests," the professor said.

      Seoul, which mainly manages North Korea in coordination with the US, is also seeking China's support. Park had used her meetings with Xi to rally support for her "Trust-Building Process" in managing inter-Korean relations.

      "The South used to rely on its alliance with the US to press Pyongyang and asked China to do the same, however, the Obama administration's policy only escalated the tension. Therefore, there is growing understanding in Park's administration that it is in dire need of China's help in both the denuclearization process and a future reunification," Wang told the Global Times.

      In Pyongyang, the official Korean Central News Agency Thursday quoted a spokesperson from the Korean People's Army as saying that the North will continue firing tactical guided missiles. North Korea fired several missiles in the past few days, which was interpreted by some as a message of displeasure against Xi's visit to Seoul.

      Kim Heung-kyu said he expects Pyongyang to make further provocations as a sign that they will not submit. In the meantime, "they can find leeway to strengthen the relationship with Japan and work harder to have better relations with Russia."

      Japan said Thursday it will lift some sanctions on the North in return for Pyongyang's reopening of a probe into the conditions of abducted Japanese.

      On bilateral political and security cooperation, Xi proposed that the two sides formally start maritime demarcations negotiation in 2015, and an early establishment of hotlines between the two defense ministries.

      On the economic front, Xi and Park said in the joint statement that the two countries seek to strike a free trade deal by the end of this year.

      China is South Korea's largest trade partner, while the South is China's third largest trade partner. In 2013, bilateral trade volume reached $229 billion, with South Korea enjoying a surplus of $62.8 billion. The two are eyeing a trade growth to $300 billion in 2015.

      Kim Do-hoon, president of Korea Institute for Industrial Economics & Trade, said that once the free trade pact is sealed, he expects the South Korea surplus to grow, as the South's exports to China will see higher increase.

      "But this doesn't mean a negative impact on Chinese industry. Given the structure of Korean exports to China, which sees Korean components and materials go to Chinese manufacturing, the cheaper imports could help shore up the competitiveness of Chinese industry," Kim told the Global Times.

      According to the economist, the sticking point in the negotiation is the potential impacts on South Korea's agricultural sector and China's high-tech industry, but that can be minimized by adding some of those items to a sensitive list excluded from tariff reductions.

      China agreed to award an 80 billion yuan ($12.88 billion) licence for South Korea to invest in Chinese capital markets, help launch the direct trading of the yuan-won pair and establish a yuan-clearing system in South Korea, Reuters reported.

      Meanwhile, people-to-people exchanges were also highlighted, with both sides committed to promoting tourism and youth exchanges and visas waiving for official passport holders.

      China also planned to loan a pair of pandas to South Korea.

      Comments (0)
      Most popular in 24h
        Archived Content
      Media partners:

      Copyright ©1999-2018 Chinanews.com. All rights reserved.
      Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

      主站蜘蛛池模板: 99国产精品免费观看视频| 一日本道a高清免费播放| 精品香蕉在线观看免费| 久久水蜜桃亚洲av无码精品麻豆| 在线免费观看伊人三级电影| 亚洲精品成人网站在线观看| 一个人免费视频在线观看www| 黑人精品videos亚洲人| 国产一精品一av一免费爽爽| 久久精品国产亚洲| 国产h肉在线视频免费观看| 久久精品国产亚洲AV忘忧草18 | 中文字幕免费观看视频| 亚洲午夜久久久久久噜噜噜| 久久久精品免费国产四虎| 久久丫精品国产亚洲av不卡| 97性无码区免费| 亚洲高清一区二区三区电影| 亚洲成aⅴ人片久青草影院| 99久久免费国产精精品| 久久久久亚洲AV无码麻豆| 日本精品人妻无码免费大全| 亚洲av无一区二区三区| 久久久久亚洲av毛片大| 99在线热视频只有精品免费| 亚洲日本VA中文字幕久久道具| 免费永久在线观看黄网站| 中国在线观看免费的www| 亚洲色图黄色小说| 国产男女猛烈无遮挡免费视频| 国产免费AV片在线观看播放| 久久99亚洲网美利坚合众国| 国产jizzjizz视频免费看| 无码中文字幕av免费放dvd| 天堂亚洲国产中文在线| 亚洲日本中文字幕一区二区三区| 99久久久国产精品免费蜜臀| 337P日本欧洲亚洲大胆精品| 亚洲图片在线观看| 国产成人涩涩涩视频在线观看免费 | 亚洲成人免费电影|