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.