BEIJING: China on Thursday welcomed comments by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson that the US does not seek to topple the North Korean government and would like dialogue with Pyongyang at some point, saying China had always supported talks.
Tillerson reiterated that Washington sought to persuade North Korea to give up its missile and nuclear weapons programs through peaceful pressure.
The US does not seek regime change, the collapse of the regime, an accelerated reunification of the peninsula or an excuse to send the US military into North Korea, Tillerson said.
Speaking to reporters, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China 鈥渁ttached great importance鈥� to Tillerson鈥檚 remarks and his reiteration of what Wang called the 鈥淔our Nos鈥� principle.
鈥淲e hope the US side can put this 鈥楩our Nos鈥� principle into actual policy toward North Korea,鈥� Wang said.
The US has recently been paying more attention to security issues on the Korean peninsula, and China has always believed security is the key to resolving the problem, he added.
North Korea says it needs a strong military deterrent to prevent a hostile US from attacking it.
China hopes all sides can meet each other halfway and through talks find a way of resolving each others security concerns as this is the key for a resolution, Wang said.
In a separate statement sent to Reuters regarding Tillerson鈥檚 remarks, the Foreign Ministry said it had always supported dialogue between the US and North Korea.
On Saturday, Pyongyang said it had conducted another successful test of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBN) that proved its ability to strike the US.
Tillerson, who will also attend the ASEAN Regional Forum in Manila, is expected to press China and other regional nations to take tougher action against North Korea.
China has signed up for increasingly tough UN sanctions against North Korea, but has also pushed for a resumption of dialogue and de-escalation by both Pyongyang and Washington.
Tillerson鈥檚 remarks showed 鈥渃ourage,鈥� said the state-run Global Times newspaper, which is usually known for its nationalistic bent.
鈥淢any Americans would think Tillerson is showing weakness, but we see his statement as the most courageous expression from Washington regarding the Korean peninsula issue,鈥� it said in an editorial on Thursday.
鈥淲hile (Washington) exerts pressure on North Korea, it should leave some alternatives for Pyongyang and make it believe that abandoning its nuclear and missile programs will do more good than insisting on this path.鈥�
Wang also urged all parties not to heighten tension on the Korean peninsula and said China had already clearly condemned North Korea鈥檚 latest missile test.
鈥淩egarding North Korea鈥檚 recent missile launch, once again in violation of UN Security Council resolutions, China has already clearly expressed our opposition,鈥� Wang said.
鈥淎t the same time, we also call on all parties not to take any actions that will lead to an escalation in tensions.鈥�