China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi has urged South Korea not to take sides between Beijing and Washington, calling on the United States of America to abandon its “hostile” policy toward North Korea.

Mr Wang made the remarks during a meeting with South Korea’s National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac in Seoul on Thursday. 

He also met South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.

“The fundamental solution to the tensions on the Korean Peninsula lies in addressing the root causes of the problem and urging the United States to abandon its hostile policy toward North Korea,” Mr Wang said.

“China hopes South Korea will achieve genuine strategic autonomy, refrain from bloc confrontation and taking sides, and develop relations with major powers including China and the United States in parallel and without contradiction,” he said.

The remarks came after U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he planned to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un later this year, adding that the country possessed 57 “very powerful” nuclear weapons.

Mr Trump had also ordered Pentagon officials to cut short joint military exercises with South Korea, citing his “very good relationship” with Mr Kim.

The United States of America has maintained its official position that North Korea must denuclearise, a demand Pyongyang consistently rejected.

South Korea condemned North Korea’s launch of more than 10 short-range ballistic missiles on Thursday and ordered its military to maintain full readiness during ongoing joint exercises with the United States.

“China would be glad to see the peninsula move toward peaceful coexistence between South Korea and North Korea,” Mr Wang told Mr Wi, calling for the resumption of dialogue and restoration of trust.

He also invited Mr Wi to visit China, according to South Korea’s presidential office.

The South Korean Government is seeking to resume dialogue with North Korea while advocating a phased, pragmatic approach to denuclearisation, beginning with a halt to its nuclear programme.

(Reuters/NAN)