China airs pessimism about Korean tensions

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi reiterated the "freeze-for-freeze" proposal for North Korea to suspend weapons tests while the US halts military drills in the area

China expressed pessimism about bringing the North Korean standoff to a peaceful resolution, even as Kim Jong Un’s regime touted new United Nations support for “regular” talks. 

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Saturday “the outlook is not optimistic” on the Korean Peninsula and urged all sides to end what he said was a “vicious cycle” of confrontation. Wang’s remarks — part of a broad foreign policy speech in Beijing — came hours after North Korea said a departing UN delegation had agreed to communications to help ease tensions.

Wang said there was still hope for a diplomatic solution to the frictions