1st LD-Writethru: China hopes UNSC meeting on Korean Peninsula nuclear issue sends "positive, balanced message"

China hopes Friday's open ministerial meeting on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, to be held by the UN Security Council, will send a positive and balanced message to the outside world.

"If the meeting simply focuses on sanctions and building up pressure, it will be losing a rare opportunity, causing more confrontation, and hampering efforts to restart talks," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said Friday at a daily press briefing.

Geng said that China is ready to join the discussions and exchange opinion to seek a solution to the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.

He stressed that the onus to resolve the issue is not on the Chinese side, in response to some calls on China to take tougher stance towards the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

"China is neither the focus of the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue nor the party escalating tensions. China does not hold the key to solving the issue," Geng said, calling for collective wisdom and joint efforts from all sides.

China has already proposed the widely supported "dual-track" approach of denuclearizing the peninsula and the "suspension for suspension" proposal to defuse the looming crisis.

"Of course, we have always held an open altitude and all parties are welcome to offer their own constructive opinions and solutions," Geng said.

China hopes the all sides of the Korean nuclear issue can play their roles, shoulder their due responsibilities, and work together to solve the issue and realize peace and stability in northeast Asia. Endit