China envoy warns of Korean Peninsula tensions

China's ambassador to the United Nations on Friday reiterated China's concerns of the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula amid both the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK's) satellite launch and the Republic of Korea's (ROK's) combined military exercises with the United States and Japan.

The Korean Peninsula is right at China's doorstep, and no one is more concerned about the peace and stability of the peninsula than China is, said Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the UN.

The current situation on the peninsula is highly tense, with escalating confrontation and opposition. "China is deeply concerned about this," He told a Security Council meeting on non-proliferation and the DPRK.

DPRK on Monday failed a launch of a military reconnaissance satellite, the official Korean Central News Agency reported.

Fu said China has noted the recent satellite launch by DPRK and the reactions from all relevant parties.

"We call on all parties to remain calm and restrained, avoiding any actions or statements that could exacerbate tensions and conflicts. Together, we should work to maintain peace and stability on the peninsula and advance the political resolution process of the peninsula issue," he said.

The Peninsula issue is essentially a security issue. The root cause lies in the remnants of the Cold War, the lack of a peace mechanism, and the absence of mutual trust between the United States and the DPRK, Fu said.

He noted that historically, there have been moments of hope and opportunities for a political solution to the Peninsula issue. However, due to the failure of the relevant parties to keep their promises, these opportunities were ultimately missed.

Fu expressed his opposition to the plan by the Republic of Korea and the United States to conduct combined annual military drills in August. "This approach will only intensify the tense atmosphere, increase the risk of war and chaos on the peninsula, and make the goal of long-term peace and stability more difficult to achieve," he said, adding that "China opposes it".

Security is indivisible. Achieving universal, balanced, and sustainable security is key to addressing challenges like the Korean Peninsula issue, Fu said. Countries cannot ensure their own security by ignoring others' concerns or compromising others' security, he said.

Last month, the United States deployed the mid-range capability missile system, also known as Typhon, to Luzon, the Philippines, as part of their joint military exercise.

This is the first time that the United States has deployed a land-based, ground-launched system after it withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, Fu noted.

The fundamental purpose of such deployment "is to seek unilateral military advantage and provide more options for military blackmail and expansion", he said.

"It is worth noting that the United States is not deploying these weapons on its own soil but in other countries, particularly at the doorsteps of its so-called competitors. Under the guise of military alliances, they are provoking military confrontation and pursuing geopolitical interests," Fu said.

He said China urges the United States to fulfill its obligations, respect the desire for stability and cooperation, stop its dangerous actions, and abandon plans to deploy the mid-range missiles in the Asia-Pacific region.