Kim-Putin meeting boosts peninsula peace process: China Daily editorial

The first-ever summit between Democratic People's Republic of Korea leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin, held in Vladivostok, Russia, is the latest of a series of diplomatic endeavors that Kim has conducted since last year, so far effectively, to counter the "maximum pressure" imposed by the United States.

Kim, speaking at their meeting on Thursday, said he hoped for in-depth discussions on ways to strategically promote stability and jointly manage the regional situation.

Kim has nothing to lose by getting Russia more closely involved in the process aimed at denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, not least, because it may help ease the economic hardship the DPRK is suffering, as Russia has always called for the easing of international sanctions on Pyongyang before the latter gives up its nuclear and missiles program.

As China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said in Beijing on Thursday, China and Russia have done a lot of work together to maintain peace and stability on the peninsula and jointly worked out a road map for a political settlement of the peninsula issue.

The current impasse in the Korean nuclear issue — which comes after the Kim-Trump summit ended in Hanoi two months ago with no deal reached — stems from the huge divide between Pyongyang and Washington over how much the DPRK can get in return for its disarmament measures.

So far there has been no sign that the two sides can substantially narrow that divide, even though neither has ruled out the possibility of a third summit. The DPRK has even said it no longer wants to hold negotiations with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

There is so much that needs to be done for both the DPRK and the US to get the stalled nuclear talks back on track.

Pyongyang must prove to the world that its proclaimed commitment to a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula is sincere, and the disarmament steps it has already taken are not a tactic to buy time, as Washington tends to believe.

And Washington has to do more to encourage Pyongyang to continue moving in the right direction, by offering more substantial benefits rather than empty words, and free Pyongyang of some of its legitimate security worries after it gives up its nuclear arsenal.

The active involvement of Russia, a stakeholder in the region and a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, is to be welcomed as it can create new impetus to help achieve the goal of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula.

Certainly, China on its part is willing to work with all parties to advance the peace process.