China Is Not the Key to North Korean Crisis

解决朝核危机的钥匙不在中国手中

On 8 September 2017, the Daily Telegraph published a signed article by Ambassador Liu Xiaoming entitled “China is not the key to North Korean Crisis”, with its website article entitled “China wants peace in Korea, but the key to solving this nuclear crisis lies with the US and the North”. The full text is as follows:

2017年9月8日，英国主流大报《每日电讯报》纸质版刊登刘晓明大使题为《解决朝核危机的钥匙不在中国手中》的署名文章。同日，该报网络版以《中国主张半岛和平，但解决朝核危机的钥匙在美国和朝鲜手中》为题同步刊登上述文章。全文如下：

The latest nuclear test by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) is driving up regional tension and raising wider international concerns. Some western media have criticized China for failing to do its best to curb the DPRK. I do not agree. Nor do I subscribe to the belief that China holds the “master key” to this crisis. 

日前，朝鲜再次进行核试验，半岛紧张局势骤然升温，引发国际社会广泛关注和担忧。一些西方媒体指责中国对朝施压不力、没有尽到责任，还有的认为中国手握“万能钥匙”，只有中国才能化解半岛危机。我不认同这些观点。

First, China’s contribution to resolving the Korean nuclear issue is there for all to see. As a close neighbor and a Permanent Member of the UN Security Council, China has always kept in mind the big picture of maintaining regional peace and stability, and made tireless and persistent efforts to facilitate a negotiated solution. As Chinese Ambassador to the DPRK before coming to Britain, I had been personally involved in the process and understand the issue all too well. It was thanks to China’s hard work, with the support of other parties, that the diplomatic efforts, from three-party talks to six-party talks, were able to sustain momentum and produce three joint documents between 2003 and 2007. The Joint Statement on 19 September 2005, in particular, outlined a road map for the DPRK to abandon its nuclear programme and for peace on the Peninsula. Twelve years on, it remains the most significant achievement so far. As for efforts at the UN, China has comprehensively and strictly implemented all the 16 Security Council resolutions since 2006, and reached out extensively to other parties to promote peace talks. China’s role has been active, responsible and constructive. To say that China is not doing its part is untrue and irresponsible.

首先，在推动解决朝核问题方面，中国做出的贡献有目共睹。中国作为半岛近邻和联合国安理会常任理事国，始终着眼半岛和平与地区稳定大局，为推动谈判解决朝核问题做出了不懈努力。我出使英国之前，曾担任中国驻朝大使，对此深有体会。正是在中国推动和各方支持下，朝核问题从三方会谈发展为六方会谈，并在2003年至2007年5年对话谈判期间，达成三份共同文件。特别是2005年的“9·19共同声明”，制定了朝鲜全面弃核以及实现半岛和平的路线图，至今仍具有重要意义。2006年以来，联合国安理会通过了16个涉朝决议，中国一贯全面、严格执行，并广做各方工作，积极劝和促谈，为推动朝核问题和平解决发挥了积极、负责任和建设性的作用。那些指责中国没尽到责任的说法，不仅不符合事实，也是极不负责任的。

Second, to find the key to the Korean nuclear issue, one must understand the “lock”. At the center of it is security, or a sense of insecurity due to the serious mistrust between the DPRK and the US. So the key is in the hands of these two parties. Tension and provocations are the symptoms of the disease and they need to be addressed. Everyone needs to calm down. As for the root cause, it is up to the two parties that hold the key to apply the right cure by demonstrating good faith for dialogue and by working towards the goal of preventing the escalation of tensions. China is ready to help, but you cannot put out a fire if someone continues to pour oil over it, or find fault with or even frustrate firefighting efforts. This does not help to defuse the tension and is unfair to China.

 其次，解决朝核问题要标本兼治。任何疾病都要对症下药，才能起到效果。朝核问题的实质是安全问题，症结在于美朝之间严重互不信任。解决半岛核问题的钥匙掌握在美朝双方手中。在治标方面，当务之急是要尽快使半岛局势降温，各方尤其要保持冷静克制。在治本方面，直接当事方即美朝双方，应展现对话诚意，努力相向而行，才能避免局势轮番升级的恶性循环。特别是不能一方面火上浇油，另一方面又要求中国救火，甚至给中国救火行动找麻烦、设障碍，这样做既无助于缓解紧张局势，对中国也不公平。

Third, the only way out of the current impasse is through negotiation and dialogue, and the only solution should be a political one. After the latest nuclear test, leaders of many countries, including the UK, stressed that a peaceful resolution is the only right course. If the lessons of history are to be learnt, there should be no difficulty in seeing that force can never settle disputes, sanctions can never be the end, and negotiation is the wisest choice. Eight years of six-party talks clearly show one thing: peace on the Korean Peninsula could be maintained and progress towards denuclearization remains attainable as long as there is dialogue. When talks stalled in 2008, the situation drifted out of control. The DPRK quickened the development of its nuclear and missile technologies, conducted six nuclear tests and fired dozens of missiles. To stop things from getting worse, China has proposed “double suspension” – the DPRK suspending nuclear-related activities and the US pausing military drills with the Republic of Korea (ROK) to return to the negotiation table. This will help move the “dual track approach” forward by advancing denuclearization and peace building at the same time, leading ultimately to the replacement of the Armistice Agreement with a peace treaty. 

第三，对话谈判、政治解决是唯一出路。朝鲜再次核试后，包括英国在内的不少国家政要强调，和平解决半岛核问题是唯一正确出路。历史多次证明，武力无法解决分歧，制裁不是最终目的，对话谈判才是最明智的选择。回顾解决朝核问题的历程，六方会谈持续了8年。2008年对话谈判中断之后，半岛形势逐渐失控，朝鲜不断加快核导开发进程，先后进行了6次核试验和数十次导弹试射。从中可以看出，只要对话谈判在进行，半岛局势就能保持基本稳定，无核化的努力就有望取得进展。为此，中方提出了“双轨并行”思路和“双暂停”倡议，即通过朝鲜暂停核导活动、美韩暂停大规模军演，推动双方重回谈判桌，并行推进实现半岛无核化和建立半岛和平机制两条轨道，最终用和平条约替代停战协议。

For this to happen, the US and the ROK should immediately call off the deployment of the THAAD missile system. This not only gravely threatens China and other countries in this region but also damages trust and cooperation on the nuclear issue. It is counterproductive to the goal of denuclearization and long-term peace on the Korean Peninsula.

为实现上述目标，美国和韩国还应立即停止部署“萨德”反导系统。这一部署严重威胁中国和本地区其他国家的战略安全，同时也损害各方在半岛核问题上的信任与合作，无助于推进半岛无核化，也不利于维护半岛长远稳定与和平。

Now is a to-be-or-not-to-be moment. The world must choose between war and peace, and between conflict and dialogue. The choice cannot be more obvious. All the parties to the Korean nuclear issue should be clear-headed and responsible when making it. In the spirit of mutual trust and respect, China stands ready to work with other parties towards denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, restoring peace and stability, and solving the issue through dialogue and negotiation.

世界似乎再次面临“生存还是毁灭”的抉择，是选择战争还是和平，是选择对抗还是对话，答案显而易见。有关各方都应保持清醒，本着负责任的态度做出正确的选择。中方愿同有关各方一道，在相互尊重、相互信任的基础上，为实现半岛无核化，为维护半岛和平稳定，为通过对话协商解决问题而共同努力。