Restoring peace in Northeast Asia

Just three days before President Xi Jinping's visit to the Republic of Korea, Kim Jong-un, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea leader, attended a tactical rocket firing drill prompting many to speculate that Pyongyang is not happy with the visit.

Indeed, China has criticized the DPRK for conducting three nuclear tests. But it's not true that there has been a fundamental shift in China's DPRK policy. China still believes that one of the most urgent tasks in the region is to resolve the DPRK nuclear issue, but it still wants the countries engaged in the peace process to view Pyongyang's safety concerns more seriously.

On Monday, the DPRK urged that the two sides on the Korean Peninsula cease hostile military activities from later this week. This is an important development, and the countries eager to restore permanent peace in the region should respond suitably to the DPRK's proposal instead of regarding it as just an inane gesture.