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UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 11-- A Chinese envoy on Wednesday called on the United States and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to move toward each other and resume dialogue and engagement as soon as possible. Speaking at a Security Council open meeting on the Korean Peninsula, China's Permanent Representative to the UN Zhang Jun said that since the beginning of 2018, there have been positive changes in the situation on the Korean Peninsula and the peninsula issue has been steered back to the right track toward a negotiated solution through dialogue. "Lately the situation on the Korean Peninsula has taken a twist, leading to renewed tensions between the DPRK and the United States, bringing the peninsula's situation to yet another critical juncture," said Zhang. The DPRK has taken a series of positive initiatives on denuclearization, but its legitimate concerns and aspirations in respect of security and development have not been given such attention as is commensurate with its effort, and remain unanswered, said the Chinese ambassador. "This is an important reason behind the current deadlock in dialogue and the tensing up of the situation," he said. Zhang said that in the current context, the top priority is to maintain the international consensus and momentum for a political solution to the peninsula issue, support and urge the United States and the DPRK to move toward each other, and "do everything we can to head off a dramatic reversal of the peninsula's situation." | 
