The situation on the Korean Peninsula is crucial to maintaining peace in Northeast Asia. It plays an important role in the security and economic development of the Asia-Pacific region, and has a great impact on overall global stability. Hence, the Peninsula has a special place in Sino-US ties.

Though the Cold War ended two decades ago, people on the Korean Peninsula are still living in its shadow. The influence of the Cold War mentality extends to other countries, too, because of the Peninsula's strategic position. And since four big powers, the United States, Russia, Japan and China, are involved in the Peninsula issue, it is the responsibility of the international community to restore lating peace there.

The international community has focused on the nuclear program of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), and it has become a core security issue in East Asia after Pyongyang conducted two nuclear tests.

China and US agree on a nuclear-free Peninsula, because they know it is important for maintaining peace in the region. They disagree only on the approach to achieving that goal.

China has been saying that the DPRK and the US should make security pledges to each other, but Washington insists that Pyongyang should give up its nuclear program before relations between them can be normalized.

Despite their difference in approach, China and the US have made great efforts to restore peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

Tensions on the Peninsula intensified after the Cheonan incident in March 26 last year. The exchange of fire between the DPRK and the Republic of Korea (ROK) on Nov 23 escalated tensions further. The subsequent joint military drills conducted by the US and the ROK and the strengthening of military alliance among the US, the ROK and Japan pushed the Peninsula to the brink of war.

But tensions defused when the DPRK said the ROK's military drills were "not worth responding to", and Washington welcomed Pyongyang's softened stance and Seoul announced that "the path to peace is open".

The Peninsula crisis, however, cast a shadow over Sino-US ties. If a war had broken out between the DPRK and the ROK, China and the US, even Russia and Japan, may have been dragged into it despite not being willing to confront each other.