China offers South Korea condolences for ship sinking

The prime minister of China, North Korea’s main ally, offered condolences today to South Korea for the sinking of a warship blamed on Pyongyang after promising his country – under pressure to punish the North – would not defend any country guilty of the attack.

Wen Jiabao later joined the leaders of South Korea and Japan in a three-way summit on the southern Korean island of Jeju, saying he hoped it would help achieve peace.

The two-day meeting was to focus on economic issues, but is likely to be overshadowed by the sinking in March of the 1,200-ton Cheonan, which killed 46 sailors in one of South Korea’s worst military disasters since the 1950-53 Korean War.

“I hope this summit will conclude with solid results and that we will try together to ensure that it will contribute to world peace,” Wen said, according to a Korean-language transcript released by the South Korean president’s office.

A multinational team of investigators said last week that evidence proved a North Korean torpedo struck the ship, and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak has pledged to take the North to the UN Security Council.

North Korea has denied responsibility and warned that any retaliation or punishment would mean war.

Laying out the investigation results, Lee urged the Chinese prime minister during bilateral talks Friday to play an “active role” in convincing North Korea to admit its wrongdoing, the presidential Blue House said. Wen told Lee that his country “will defend no one” responsible for the sinking, Lee’s office said.

As North Korea’s main ally, China has faced growing pressure to take punitive action against Pyongyang for the sinking of the warship. But Beijing has been cautious about taking a stance, saying it still needs to examine the investigation results, Wen told Lee, according to a briefing by presidential adviser Lee Dong-kwan.

Wen offered condolences earlier today to the South’s people and the families of the dead sailors at a meeting with South Korean Prime Minister Chung Un-chan, the prime minister’s office said.

Japan has already given its backing to Seoul, and Tokyo recently instituted new sanctions against North Korea.

South Korean President Lee met Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama today in Jeju ahead of the three-nation summit.

Hatoyama reaffirmed Japan’s “active support,” pledging to play a leading role in backing South Korea’s stance at the UN Security Council, according to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency.