China on Wednesday expressed the hope that the two sides of the Korean Peninsula will engage in dialogue as soon as possible, so as to create necessary conditions for an early resumption of the six-party talks.
The peninsula's denuclearization process and the six-party talks have been stalled due to complex reasons, which is in neither side's interest, said Huang Wei, Chinese deputy permanent representative to the United Nations and other international organizations in Vienna.
Huang made the remarks during a debate over hot spot nuclear issues worldwide at a board meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
He said China is always of the view that the peninsula's denuclearization should be achieved through dialogue and consultations, and that the six-party talks are an effective platform for achieving this goal and safeguarding regional peace and stability.
Huang pointed out that through concerted efforts by all parties, the situation on the Korean Peninsula has somewhat eased. However, the momentum for dialogue is still fragile with elements of instability still remaining.
"China hopes that the South and the North will engage in dialogue at an early date, and also hopes the United States and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) engage with each other at an appropriate time, so that the six-party talks can be resumed as soon as possible on this basis," Huang said.