hankyoreh

By Seong Yeong-cheol, Beijing correspondent

China’s foreign minister said on Mar. 9 that the recent United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution sanctioning North Korea was “not a fundamental solution” to the nuclear issue.

Yang Jiechi also said the only way to solve the problem was to “balance the interests of the different countries involved.”

Yang made the comments during a conference with the Chinese and foreign press at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, where he said that UNSC Resolution 2094 was “about reflecting the international community’s objections to North Korea’s nuclear test and proposing a solution to the issue through peaceful methods such as dialogue and negotiation.”

Yang also said North Korea’s recent third nuclear test had “once again created tensions in the political environment on the Korean Peninsula, which is something China absolutely does not want.”

He went on to appeal to the countries involved to maintain objective and restrained approaches and to avoid any actions that would further increase tensions.

Analysts read his marks as pouring cold water on speculations in the West that China may be changing its policies on North Korea. Their hopes had been raised by UN ambassador Li Baodong’s declaration on Mar. 7 that China planned to “fully enforce” the resolution, which includes tough sanctions prescribing aircraft and ship searches and a ban on financial transactions with North Korea.

At the time of his remarks, Li also said, “no fundamental resolution to the North Korean nuclear issue can be achieved through a UNSC resolution alone.” Yang’s latest remarks were taken as placing an even greater emphasis on a solution to the problem through restraint and dialogue.

They were also seen as a declaration that China would not be taking on a pivotal role in enforcing the sanctions at a time when attention is focusing on its next step as North Korea’s biggest trade partner and ally.

“China is not going to be a key player in the sanctions,” said a Chinese expert on North Korean affairs.

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