Chinese, South Korean presidents discuss North Korea

Jan 9, 2012, 12:35 GMT

Beijing - Chinese President Hu Jintao and South Korean President Lee Myung Bak on Monday held talks that focussed on North Korea's new leadership and efforts to persuade Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons programme.

The two presidents held an 'in-depth discussion' on the Korean Peninsula and pledged to 'work together for the sake of peace and stability,' Yonhap news agency quoted an unnamed South Korean official as saying.

Chinese state media said Lee praised China's efforts to promote the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and urged it to 'continue to play a positive role in this respect.'

Hu said China supported more talks between North Korea and South Korea.

China was 'willing to enhance communication and coordination with all relevant parties' to strengthen the security of the Korean Peninsula, Hu was quoted as saying.

Monday's talks followed last month's death of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il.

Lim Sung Nam, Seoul's envoy to six-nation talks on North Korea's nuclear programme, accompanied Lee and planned to hold talks with his Chinese counterpart, Yonhap said.

China is keen to restart the stalled talks involving North Korea, the United States, China, South Korea, Japan and Russia.

Lee's three-day visit was also timed to mark the 20th anniversary of formal diplomatic ties between South Korea and the People's Republic of China.

The South Korean official was quoted as saying Lee told Hu that Seoul was preparing to start formal negotiations early this year on a bilateral free trade agreement.

Commenting on Lee's visit on Monday, Chinese analyst Dong Xiangrong said the talks would help to improve bilateral relations following Kim Jong Il's death and a recent deadly clash between Chinese fisherman and South Korean coastguards.

But differences remained because South Korea's security relied on its alliance with the United States and it 'remains hostile' to North Korea, Dong wrote in the China Daily newspaper.

He said South Korea's view of China as a 'patron' of North Korea had damaged relations following the the sinking of the South Korean warship Cheonan and the shelling of its Yeonpyeong Island by North Korea in 2010.

'Differences in political systems, asymmetric economic interdependence, and different security priorities have led to Seoul's distrust of Beijing,' he said.

Dong is an Asia-Pacific specialist at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, a government think-tank.

After talks with Chinese and South Korean officials last week, US assistant secretary of state Kurt Campbell urged China to use its influence to hold Pyongyang back from military provocations while its leadership passes to Kim's third son, Kim Jong Un.

The United States wanted China to 'make clear the importance of restraint by the new North Korean leadership,' Campbell said.

China has publicly supported the transition to Kim Jong Un's leadership. Hu sent a telegram last week to congratulate Kim on taking North Korea's top military post, China's Foreign Ministry reported.

Given North Korea's provocations in 2010, Seoul is worried that the leadership transition could result in more unpredictable behaviour.