Ministers discuss Cheonan, bilateral ties

Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan (left) and his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi hold talks prior to the three-way talks among Seoul, Beijing and Tokyo later today in Gyeongju.  Yonhap News

By Kim Ji-hyun

　GYEONGJU - China today said the ongoing investigation into the recent sinking of a South Korean warship should be conducted in an “objective” and “transparent” manner.

　Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi expressed such thoughts in a one-on-one with South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan ahead of a three-way meeting of the foreign ministers of South Korea, China and Japan.

　“The Chinese foreign minister also called the sinking of the Cheonan as an unfortunate incident, and said China has extended its condolences. The two ministers said they would closely communicate and cooperate over the issue,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Kim Young-sun.

　The Cheonan sank near the de facto inter-Korean border in March. More than 40 sailors were killed or remain missing. 

　Seoul has strongly indicated it believes North Korea to be the culprit of an external blast that allegedly sank the Cheonan. An official investigation is due to end around May 20. 

　China, as one of the reclusive regime‘s closest allies, has maintained a noncommital stance.

　Others, such as the U.S. has indicated that the six-nation talks aimed at ending Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons programs cannot continue when the investigation is ongoing.

　A group of U.S. senators on Thursday introduced a resolution calling for a thorough probe into the sinking of the Cheonan.

　The two foreign ministers of South Korea and China also discussed the North Korean nuclear issue.

　China is chair of the six-way dialogue, which has been stalled since Pyongyang said it would permanently boycott the discussions in April last year.

　The North issued the declaration after the United Nations criticized a rocket launch. 

　Regarding bilateral relations, Yu and Yang discussed measures for bolstering their “strategic cooperation partnership.”

　Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao is currently scheduled to visit South Korea for a meeting with President Lee Myung-bak later this month. 

　Seoul and Beijing said they would also seek to beef up cooperation for developing atomic energy, in addition to making efforts to start shuttle flights between the two nations at an earliest possible time.

　South Korea further enlisted support for extraditing North Korean defectors and those kidnapped by the North or prisoners of war who took refuge in China.

    The foreign ministers of China and Japan arrived in Gyeongju earlier today for bilateral and trilateral meetings with their South Korean counterpart Yu.