China calls for further dialogue between North Korea, U.S.

China firmly supports the Pyongyang summit between the leaders of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Republic of Korea (ROK), Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.

“China hopes that the DPRK and the United States lose no time to have further contact and dialogue to push the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula,’’ the ministry spokesperson, Geng Shuang, noted.

The DPRK, under a joint declaration signed at the summit, has said it was willing to continue with additional steps toward denuclearisation such as the permanent destruction of its main Yongbyon nuclear facility, if the U.S. would take corresponding actions in line with the spirit of the DPRK-U.S. agreement reached at a summit in Singapore in June.

According to Geng, the DPRK’s stance is worth approving.

“We hope the DPRK and the United States meet each other halfway,’’ he said.

The U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, said on Wednesday in a statement that the U.S. was prepared to engage immediately in negotiations to transform U.S.-DPRK relations.

Geng, noting the positive comments made by the U.S., said China supported and hoped the DPRK and the U.S. would lose no time to have further contact and dialogue.

“Take each other’s reasonable concerns into consideration, build up mutual trust and implement the consensus reached by leaders of the two countries.

“And work for continuous development in the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula and in the political settlement of the issue.

“Other relevant parties should also take action and make joint efforts,’’ said the spokesperson.