China urges political decisions on Korean nuclear issue

BEIJING -- China on Monday called for parties involved in the Korean Peninsula to make political decisions as soon as possible and avoid escalating tension.

It is necessary for all sides, especially the United States and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), to make political decisions as soon as possible, reduce tension on the peninsula and reach a political solution, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said.

Lu's comment came after Joe Dunford, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that the US military can "defend against a limited North Korea attack on Seoul, Japan, and the United States." Dunford also described military options against the DPRK as "horrific" which "would be a loss of life unlike any we have experienced in our lifetimes".

"China maintains that military means should not be an option for resolving the Korean Peninsula issue. Violence cannot resolve disputes and will only lead to bigger disasters which are unbearable for all parties," Lu said at a daily press briefing.

No one should do anything that escalates the tension or intensifies the situation, Lu said.

The foreign ministries of China and Russia published a joint statement in early July, suggesting a comprehensive solution by addressing both the symptoms and the root causes of the issue, based on the "dual-track approach" and the "suspension for suspension" initiative proposed by China and the step-by-step conception by Russia.

"We hope all parties will support the above proposal and find a workable solution to the Peninsula issue," Lu said.