The essence of the North Korean nuclear issue is the conflict between the U.S. and North Korea, and the U.S. should shoulder its due responsibility, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying at a press conference on Sept. 12. Hua’s statement refuted the remarks made by U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter that China is responsible for the recent nuclear test by North Korea.

Hua pointed out that the essence of the North Korean nuclear issue is a conflict between the U.S. and North Korea. She therefore suggested that the U.S. review the issue carefully and seriously consider practical solutions.

As for how to ease the conflict, Hua urged the U.S. to shoulder its due responsibilities. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, and as a neighboring country to the Korean Peninsula, China has spared no efforts to find a proper solution to the issue so as to safeguard regional peace and stability, as well as to maintain the authority of the international nuclear non-proliferation system.

However, it has now been proven that pressure and resistance only serve to escalate the conflict to a deadlock. It is now time for the directly related parties to step up and make their own efforts to address the root causes of the conflict, Hua said.

“China insists that measures to balance the security concerns of each party and achieve long-term stability on the peninsula must be sought through dialogue that addresses root causes,” she emphasized.

The spokesperson stressed again that each party should examine the big picture, take prudent actions and make a true contribution to the non-proliferation and stability of the Korean Peninsula.