China applauds Korean leaders' 'courage' at summit

Beijing [China], Apr 27 (ANI): China on Friday applauded the political courage of the two Korean leaders, Kim Jong-un of North Korea and Moon Jae-in of South Korea, adding that the inter-Korean summit yielded positive results.

At a daily press briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said in a statement, "We have all watched on TV the historic moment that the leaders of the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) and the ROK (Republic of Korea) walked across the military demarcation line dividing the Korean Peninsula and shook hands."

"We applaud the historic step the two leaders strode and compliment the political resolve and courage they have shown. We sincerely hope the meeting can yield positive results. Brotherhood has remained after all the vicissitudes, while a smile at a next encounter can help vanish all the enmity," she added.

Chunying further said that Beijing wanted the two Koreas to erase the hostilities between them and to start a new era of peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula.

"China calls for taking the opportunity of the historic meeting in Panmunjom to start a new era of lasting peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula," she added.

Lu Kang, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, separately said in a statement, "China has always supported the two sides to establish mutual trust and improve bilateral ties through dialogue and consultation. This is in the common interest of the two sides and the region, and meets the common expectation of the international community. We hope and believe that the North and South Korean sides will be able to implement the consensus reached by their leaders and continue to push for reconciliation and cooperation. We hope all relevant parties keep the momentum of dialogue, work together to promote the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula as well as the process of a political settlement on the peninsula issue."

Earlier in the day, the two Koreas agreed to sign a peace treaty formally later this year, ending the 65-year old war between the two countries.

The Korean War between the two countries took place between 1950-53, which ended with a ceasefire and signing of an armistice agreement. Technically, both the countries are still at war since no peace treaty has been signed between them.

In a joint declaration of the third inter-Korean summit at the Peace House at Panmunjom in the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ), the document formally called the 'Panmunjom Declaration for Peace, Prosperity and Unification on the Korean Peninsula' read, "The two leaders solemnly declare that there will be no more war on the Korean Peninsula and a new era of peace has begun," CNN reported.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, in a statement, said that the two Koreas were one united people who should work together towards reunification.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in also reiterated that it marked the rise of "a new era of peace."

This is the first time in 11 years that an inter-Korean summit is being held between the two Korean leaders. It is also the first-ever summit to be held in South Korea.

Meanwhile, United States President Donald Trump credited his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping for moving forward the nascent peace process on the Korean Peninsula.

"Please do not forget the great help that my good friend, President Xi of China, has given to the United States, particularly at the Border of North Korea. Without him it would have been a much longer, tougher, process!" he tweeted. (ANI)