Photo provided by Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Feb. 13, 2017 shows a test firing of a surface-to-surface medium- and long-range ballistic missile Pukguksong-2 on Feb. 12, 2017. (Xinhua/KCNA)
by Xinhua writer Gu Zhenqiu
UNITED NATIONS, April 28 (Xinhua) -- More efforts should be made to achieve denuclearization and sustainable peace on the Korean Peninsula, which has witnessed a continued escalation of tensions over the past months.
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Saturday reportedly test-fired a ballistic missile, which exploded after liftoff. Its repeated nuclear tests and missile launches have violated relevant Security Council resolutions, thus drawing strong condemnation of the international community.
"We must stay committed to the goal of denuclearization," Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Friday during an open meeting on the peninsula's nuclear issue, attended by top diplomats of the United Nations (UN) Security Council member states and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
"Denuclearization is the basic precondition for long-term peace and stability on the peninsula and what we must accomplish to safeguard the international nuclear non-proliferation regime," he said.
"No matter what happens, we should never waiver in our commitment," Wang said, reiterating China's clear-cut position regarding the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula.
Meanwhile, all parties need to comprehensively understand and fully implement the DPRK-related resolutions adopted by the Security Council, which has the primary responsibility for maintaining peace and security in the world as a whole.
Miscalculation and misunderstanding can originate from a lack of communication among parties concerned, increasing the possibility that the situation would take a drastic turn for the worse and spiral out of control.
"The absence of communication channels with the DPRK is dangerous," Guterres said. "Armed conflict in Northeast Asia, which is home to one fifth of the world's people and gross domestic product, would have global ramifications."
"We need to avoid miscalculation and misunderstanding" and "act now to prevent conflict and achieve sustainable peace," as Guterres put it.
The DPRK should refrain from further nuclear testing, comply with the relevant Security Council resolutions, and explore the resumption of dialogue.
At the same time, the United States and South Korea also need to do their part to defuse tensions and eventually achieve denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula by stopping military threats and deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in South Korea.
As Wang said, the controversial deployment "is detrimental to achieving denuclearization and maintaining long-term stability on the Peninsula."
The latest developments on the peninsula highlighted an imperative need for all concerned parties to return to peaceful negotiations within the framework of the Six-Party Talks, which brought together representatives of the DPRK, South Korea, China, the United States, Russia and Japan.
Early resumption of the Six-Party Talks can also help boost these world efforts to avoid worsening tensions and encourage dialogues among the relevant parties.
