China on Friday urged US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to show "political courage" amid a historic announcement of a meeting between them.
"We welcome this positive signal by the US and North Korea in having direct dialogue," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a regular press briefing, adding that "the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue is moving in the right direction."
"We hope that all parties can demonstrate political courage and make the right political decisions," he said.
Standing in front of the White House, South Korean National Security Advisor Chung Eui-yong announced the first ever meeting between a US president and North Korean leader, which he said would take place by the end of May.
Chung had recently returned from Pyongyang, where he met Kim, who, he said "expressed his eagerness to meet President Trump as soon as possible."
Trump hailed "great progress" in the push to persuade Pyongyang to end its nuclear weapons program.
"Meeting being planned!" he tweeted. "Kim Jong Un talked about denuclearization with the South Korean Representatives, not just a freeze. Also, no missile testing by North Korea during this period of time."
"Great progress being made but sanctions will remain until an agreement is reached."
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday hailed the proposed meeting between Trump and Kim as "a step in the right direction".
"We do hope that this meeting is going to take place," Lavrov said after talks at the African Union's headquarters in the Ethiopian capital. "Certainly, it is required to normalize the situation around the Korean peninsula."
