By Chung Min-uck
The United States and China showed clear differences Tuesday (KST) over how to resolve the North Korean nuclear situation during a summit held on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague.
Chinese President Xi Jinping wants the long-stalled six-party talks to be restarted immediately, while U.S. President Barack Obama insists on denuclearization steps first.
In a Seoul-Beijing summit held a day earlier in The Hague, Xi told President Park Geun-hye that his country is trying hard to "persuade Pyongyang," showing clear opposition to North Korea possessing nuclear weapons.
Experts interpreted the comment as an indication that China is changing its stance and drawing closer to the U.S. and South Korea in the wake of North Korea carrying out provocative short-range rocket tests lately.
However, given China's unchanged attitude shown during talks with the U.S., they say the six-party forum is not likely to resume anytime soon.
In the course of the meeting with Park, Xi expressed support for South Korea's preparation for unification saying for the first time that China supports "independent and peaceful" unification of the Korean Peninsula.
Seoul has launched a presidential committee to cover the issue.
"Xi was considerate of Park's position, stressing the importance of unification on the Korean Peninsula. Basically, Xi said what Park wanted to hear," said Park Hyung-joong, a researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification.
"However, by referring to unification as an independent one, Xi took into consideration North Korea's position as well."
The North has long called for achieving cross-border unification "independently" without interference from third parties, referring to the U.S.
"There is no reason for China to change its fundamental stance on unification of the Korean Peninsula at this moment. It is merely a signal to Pyongyang that China can become closer to the South if the North resists scrapping its nuclear programs," the researcher added.
The United States and China showed clear differences Tuesday (KST) over how to resolve the North Korean nuclear situation during a summit held on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague.
Chinese President Xi Jinping wants the long-stalled six-party talks to be restarted immediately, while U.S. President Barack Obama insists on denuclearization steps first.
In a Seoul-Beijing summit held a day earlier in The Hague, Xi told President Park Geun-hye that his country is trying hard to "persuade Pyongyang," showing clear opposition to North Korea possessing nuclear weapons.
Experts interpreted the comment as an indication that China is changing its stance and drawing closer to the U.S. and South Korea in the wake of North Korea carrying out provocative short-range rocket tests lately.
However, given China's unchanged attitude shown during talks with the U.S., they say the six-party forum is not likely to resume anytime soon.
In the course of the meeting with Park, Xi expressed support for South Korea's preparation for unification saying for the first time that China supports "independent and peaceful" unification of the Korean Peninsula.
Seoul has launched a presidential committee to cover the issue.
"Xi was considerate of Park's position, stressing the importance of unification on the Korean Peninsula. Basically, Xi said what Park wanted to hear," said Park Hyung-joong, a researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification.
"However, by referring to unification as an independent one, Xi took into consideration North Korea's position as well."
The North has long called for achieving cross-border unification "independently" without interference from third parties, referring to the U.S.
"There is no reason for China to change its fundamental stance on unification of the Korean Peninsula at this moment. It is merely a signal to Pyongyang that China can become closer to the South if the North resists scrapping its nuclear programs," the researcher added.
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