Chinese and North Korean Officials to Hold Strategic Dialogue

The surprising offer from Pyongyang to sit down for talks with the United States is followed by China’s declaration that it will be holding a “strategic dialogue” with its long-time ally. A meeting between Chinese and North Korean officials is happening on Wednesday in Beijing.

Meeting set up

The Chinese Foreign Ministry announced on Monday that a dialogue has been set up between Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui and First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye Gwan. The two officials are going to discuss bilateral relations on the current situation in the Korean Peninsula. First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye Gwan is a veteran diplomat and is a key figure in Pyongyang’s negotiations with regard to its nuclear program.

Mr. Kim’s upcoming trip to Beijing is the second visit of a North Korean diplomat in recent weeks. In May, Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomed a top North Korean military leader in the person of Vice Marshal Choe Ryong-hae. Mr. Choe brought tidings to the President saying that North Korea was ready to return to the negotiating table.

Hopeful

A Chinese official said that Beijing is hopeful that North and South Korea has the capability to initiate a broader, six-party talks focusing on the nuclear issue. China supported sanctions put on North Korea by the United Nations. But since North Korea is an ally, it will not support harsher measures.

Hua Chunying, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said in a news briefing that the rationale for the strategic dialogue is the consistent close communication between China and North Korea. In the recent months when tensions were high, China had repeatedly urged North Korea to return to the negotiating table and abandon its nuclear ambitions.

Senior-level discussions

North Korea’s nuclear tests and rocket launches early this year caused an increase in tension not just between the two Koreas, but between Pyongyang and Washington as well. The offer from North Korea to engage in senior-level talks with the US was expressed on Sunday and is intended to ease tensions in the region.

The proposal from North Korea includes negotiations for a formal peace treaty that will finally end the Korean War. The present peace between the neighboring nations is only brought about by an armistice agreement. The proposal to Washington came after its abrupt cancellations of official negotiations with Seoul.

Close attention

China is paying attention to the ongoing dispute in the peninsula for many reasons, mainly in the hopes of resuming the six-nation nuclear disarmament talks that China hosted in the past. The talks involved the two Koreas, Russia, the United States, Japan and China.

Response from Washington

President Obama’s administration expressed openness to the dialogue proposal from Pyongyang. But it clarified that it wants “credible negotiations.” The US also said that any deal would need to involve compliance with United Nations resolutions. Another requirement is that the deal should result in a nuclear-free North Korea.

Washington’s reservations and skepticism of any move from North Korea is due to the fact that Pyongyang has backtracked on deals before. South Korean officials and Japanese dignitaries are expected to join the discussions scheduled to debate on the proposal in Washington this week.

Photo Credit: Southern China and the Korean peninsula.