China and South Korea at odds over first step in nuclear crisis talks
Beijing wants to ensure it has a major role in reining in Pyongyang’s nuclear programme while Seoul prefers a process built around US talks with the two Koreas, the Post has learned
Beijing and Seoul appear split over how to start talks on ridding the Korean peninsula of nuclear weapons, as each player vies for influence in the negotiations, according to diplomatic sources.
Sources told the South China Morning Post that Beijing wanted a structure that would continue to give it an active role in reining in Pyongyang’s nuclear programme while protecting China’s regional interests.
Meanwhile, Seoul prefers a process built around US talks with the two Koreas, according to the sources.
The sources said China and South Korea saw eye to eye on the need to maintain peace and stability on the Korean peninsula when Yang Jiechi, who is both a Politburo member and special envoy of Chinese President Xi Jinping, sat down with South Korean National Security Adviser Chung Eui-yong and President Moon Jae-in during a visit to Seoul last week.
“Both sides have agreed on two things: denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula and no war under any circumstances in the region,” one source said. “But there were minor differences on other aspects.”
During the Seoul trip, Yang stressed that Beijing needed to be actively involved in any dialogue.