China has reiterated its stance that mutual concession is necessary between the parties concerning North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats.

At a regular media briefing Thursday, China’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Geng Shuang relayed Beijing’s position on its “freeze for freeze” proposal, which calls for South Korea and the U.S. to stop their annual joint military exercises in return for Pyongyang’s suspension of its nuclear and missile provocations.

He was responding to the remark by U.S. President Donald Trump that Washington cannot accept the Chinese proposal and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed with him.

The spokesman said China’s stance on North Korea’s nuclear program is consistent and clear, noting it supports the resolution of the issue through the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, peace and stability, and dialogue and negotiation.

He said such concessions by both sides would only be an important first step, not the final destination, to create an environment conducive to meaningful talks on the issue. 

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