Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi (R) meets with Kim Kye Gwan, first vice foreign minister of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 17, 2013. (Xinhua/Zhang Duo)
Chinese media reported that DPRK 1st Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Kim Kye Gwan met with Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi on 17 September (Tuesday). During the meeting, according to Xinhua, Yang told Kim that “the China-DPRK relationship is at a crucial stage that connects the past and the future. Both sides should keep up with the times, grasp opportunities and tackle challenges to advance the healthy, stable development of bilateral ties” and that “the six-party talks are an effective mechanism for realizing denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and maintaining peace and stability of the peninsula and Northeast Asia, as well as an important platform for relevant parties to improve relations.” Yang also said that “China hopes relevant parties make concerted efforts to strive for an early resumption of the six-party talks.” Kim Kye Gwan said that “the DPRK-China friendship should carry on, and bilateral ties should be strengthened” and “the six-party talks are an important platform for achieving denuclearization of the peninsula. DPRK supports China’s effort to restart the talks and is willing to keep in-depth communication with China.”
Kim Kye Gwan is the surprise guest at a one-day conference (or workshop) Retrospects and Outlooks: A Decade of the Six-Party Talks organized by the Chinese Government to mark the tenth anniversary of the Six Party Talks and the eighth anniversary of the 19 September 2005 Joint Statement. Accompanying Kim to China for the conference were Ri Yong Ho, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Choe Son Hui, a deputy department directors at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During his address at the conference Kim said the DPRK is ”ready to enter the six-party talks without preconditions” and said that “preconditions” stipulated by the US and ROK “are in violation of the spirit of the Sept. 19 Joint Statement” and “attaching preconditions to our offer of dialog would cause mistrust.” Kim also said that “denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula is a dying wish of our late leaders and our country’s policy goal” and “we support the six-party talks, and we are willing to resume dialog under the framework of the six-party talks, including a small-scale dialog.” PRC Foreign Minister Wang Yi told the conference that “no one should attempt to bring chaos to this region or pursue selfish interests” and “recently, there have been positive changes on the Korean Peninsula. . .The situation has moved from a high degree of tensions to relative relaxation, and from strong and serious confrontation to the restart of talks. The situation on the peninsula is still fragile and uncertain. Therefore, the parties should properly handle and approach the situation, exercise restraint, avoid provocative measures against each other in order to maintain the current momentum of relaxation.”
Filed under: 2013 Strategic Rhetoric, 2nd Academy of Natural Science, Administration Department, Central Committee, Central Military Committee, Choe Son Hui (FA), critical infrastructure, DPRK Cabinet, DPRK Diplomat Corps, DPRK Energy Policy, DPRK External Relations, DPRK General Department of Atomic Energy, DPRK Intelligence Community, DPRK-China Relations, DPRK-Japan Relations, DPRK-Japan rels, DPRK-Russia Relations, DPRK-US Relations, International Department, Kang Sok Ju, Kim Family, Kim Jong-il, Kim Kye Kwan, KJI Personal Secretariat, Korean People's Army (KPA), Korean Workers' Party (KWP), KPA General Staff, KPA General Staff Nuclear Chemical Bureau, KPA Large Combined Units, Machine Building Industry Department, March 2013 KWP Central Committee Meeting (plenary session), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of the People's Armed Forces (MPAF), National Academy of Defense Sciences, National Defense Commission (NDC), NDC Administration Department, NDC Policy Department, North Korean press, nuclear weapons, Organization and Guidance Department, Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Site, Ri Yong Ho (FA), Second Economic Committee, Second Economy Commission, Secretariat, Six Party Talks, Third Floor
