Commentary: Promoting Peace Process of Korean PeninsulaJune 25 is the 50th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War. Over the past half century, the situation in the Korean Peninsula, after experiencing an eventful course, has finally welcome in a springtime featuring an advance to peace, conciliation and cooperation at the turn of the century.For a long period of time, the Korean Peninsula has been a hot spot in Northeast Asia and the globe as a whole. The situation of the Korean Peninsula is closely related with peace and stability in Asia and the whole world. During the period of Cold War, the tense situation of confrontation between the North and the South of the Korean Peninsula had not only aggravated suffering of separation between North and South, but had also caused turbulence in the peninsular situation and tension in the Northeast Asian region. After the end of the Cold War, although the dark clouds of Cold War in the peninsula had not fully dispersed, the general situation of world peace and development, however, has created a rare opportunity for relaxing the Korean Peninsular situation. In recent years, along with improvement in the Korean-Us relationship, a series of changes have taken place, such as the convocation of the "four-parties talks" designed to establish a lasting peace mechanism for the peninsula, the resumption of negotiation on normalization of diplomatic ties between Korea and Japan, the adjustment of Korean-Russia relations and the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Italy, entailing great improvement in the international macro environment on the Korean Peninsula. Seizing this historical opportunity, the North and South of the peninsula have increasingly actuated their economic and trade cooperation and cultural exchange and scored remarkable achievements in this regard. The first summit meeting between the North and South of the Korean Peninsula successfully held not long ago not only reflects the strong desire of the two sides of the peninsula to turn hostility into friendship and jointly promote peninsular peace and national conciliation as well as independent, peaceful reunification, but also marks a new beginning of peace, conciliation and cooperation between the North and the South, as well as independent, peaceful reunification. The gratifying change in the Korean Peninsular situation is both an embodiment of the surging tide of peace and development nowadays in the peninsula, and the result of relaxation process jointly spurred by the North and South of peninsula as well as by the international community. This change has created a favorable environment and condition for peace and stability of the Northeast Asian region, and for peace and stability of the world as a whole, it has thus received universal praises and positive comments from the world at large. The peace process started up in the Korean Peninsula is hard won and its foundation is still very weak, the task is heavy and the road ahead is long for a peace mechanism to replace the truce agreement. How to further push and develop the peninsular peace process is an important question facing the North and South of the peninsula and various parties concerned. People are glad to see that in a bid to implement the "Joint Declaration" signed by both sides, North and South Korea have not only decided to hold dialogs between authorities as quickly as possible, but also have solemnly announced that Kim Jong Il will visit Seoul at an appropriate time. At present, both the North and the South sides have ceased mutual attacks and begun earnest consultations to solve the problem regarding the reunion of separated families and carry out the already reached common view and agreement. It is worthy of note that after the summit meeting between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea, the United States, Japan, Russia and other relevant countries are busy readjusting their respective policies, it is hoped that in the process of readjusting their policies, these countries would do their bit to help promote the peace process in the peninsula and adopt concrete measures that facilitate the peninsular relaxation. China and the Korean Peninsula are linked by mountains and rivers, the Chinese government has always devoted its efforts to safeguarding and promoting peace and stability in the peninsula. China welcomes and congratulates the development of the peninsular situation toward relaxation, particularly the achievements gained in the inter-Korean summit meeting. China will continue to give play to its constructive role in safeguarding peninsular peace and stability and make its contributions to propelling the peninsular peace process. We are reviewing history and looking forward to the future. On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War, we sincerely hope that the dense clouds of war over the Korean Peninsula will completely disperse, and wish both the North and the South of the Korean Peninsula will constantly gain new achievements in peace, conciliation and cooperation and in the process of realizing independent, peaceful reunification. |
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