China tiptoes around Korean warship crisis

Prime Minister Wen Jiabao of China delivered that message here yesterday during a two-hour meeting with President Lee Myung-bak of South Korea, according to a spokesman in the president’s office.

Wen also said China is examining an international investigation that blamed the sinking on North Korea, but his government has yet to accept its findings. The investigation, conducted by South Korea and specialists from the United States and three other countries, found evidence that a North Korean-made torpedo fired by a North Korean mini-submarine sank the 1,200-ton Cheonan two months ago.

China “always opposes and condemns any acts detrimental to peace and stability on the peninsula,’’ Wen said, according to the official New China News Agency. He added that Beijing “takes serious note of the results of a joint investigation by South Korea and other countries, as well as the reactions of all parties.’’

The Chinese leader’s comments fell short of what the South Korean government wants as it works with the United States to secure UN Security Council condemnation of North Korea. In their meeting, Lee pressed Wen “to play an active role in making North Korea admit its wrongdoing,’’ a spokesman said.

Wen’s comments marked a subtle and significant stiffening of Beijing’s position toward North Korea, an isolated dictatorship that depends on China for fuel, food aid, and trade.

Until yesterday, China had confined its comments on the ship’s sinking to expressions of sympathy for the loss of life while cautioning all governments to remain calm.

Wen is in South Korea for a three-day visit that presents a difficult diplomatic challenge. China has to balance its historically protective stance toward North Korea against the surging importance of its economic ties to South Korea and Japan.

Over the weekend, Wen will meet again with Lee and Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama of Japan.

China now appears to be alone among veto-wielding members of the UN Security Council in questioning the findings of the investigation.

Russia announced this week that it will send a team to examine evidence gathered by investigators, and South Korean officials said they believe that Russia is likely to accept their findings.

So far, China has made no similar commitment to send its scientists to look at the evidence.

But Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan of South Korea said in an interview yesterday it is his expectation that such a commitment will be made after we “consult with the Chinese a bit more.’’

Yu said South Korea needed to move carefully in dealing with China on the ship incident, nudging Beijing to accept the facts of the investigation without derailing “very good relations’’ between the two countries. “I don’t want to push them,’’ Yu said.

China is South Korea’s most important trade partner, the primary focus of its foreign investment, and its leading tourist destination.

North Korea’s most powerful state organ said yesterday that South Korea faked the sinking of one of its own warships and warned that the Korean peninsula was edging closer to war.

Pyongyang has made similar statements since a multinational investigators said last week that a torpedo fired by a North Korean submarine downed the vessel, killing 46 sailors in the worst attack on the South Korean military since the Korean War.

Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.