SecretaryClintonsaidtheChineseunderstandthegravityofthesituationontheKoreanpeninsula,wheretensionshaverisensharplyfollowingtheMarch26torpedoattackthatsankaSouthKoreanwarship,killing46sailors."NooneismoreconcernedaboutpeaceandstabilityinthisregionastheChinese,"Clintonstated."WeknowthisisasharedresponsibilityandinthedaysaheadwewillworkwiththeinternationalcommunityandourChinesecolleaguestofashionaneffectiveandappropriateresponse."SpeakingalongsideseniorChineseofficialsattheendoftwodaysoftalks,shesaidthetwosuperpowerswouldbeworkingtogethertoresolvethematter.TheU.S.hasexpressedstrongsupportfortheSouthKoreanpresidentandhisintentiontoreferthemattertotheU.N.SecurityCouncil,wheretheUnitedStatesandChinaareveto-wieldingmembers.ButChina,Pyongyang'smainpatron,hasnotpubliclycondemnedtheattackorevenacknowledgedthatNorthKoreawastoblame.InremarksattheendoftheBeijingtalks,ChineseStateCouncilorDaiBingguosaidensuringpeaceandsecurityontheKoreanpeninsulais"critical"andurgedthepartiesto"calmlyandproperlyhandletheissueandavoidescalationoftension."Speakingtoreporterslater,SecretaryClintonsaid"itisabsolutelyclear"thatChinaiscommittedtoregionalstability,anditsharestheU.S.goalofadenuclearizedKoreanpeninsula.Butsheaddedthat"aperiodofcarefulconsideration"isnecessaryinordertodeterminethebestwayforwardindealingwithNorthKorea,perhapsasignthatChinaisnotyetreadytosupportU.N.SecurityCouncilaction.OnthefinallegofherAsiantour,ClintonwilltraveltoSeoulonWednesdaytoconsultwithSouthKoreanPresidentLeeMyung-bak.ShesaidChinesePremierWenJiabaowouldgothereonFridayforthesamepurpose.
