(LEAD) (US-NK summit) Beijing, Tokyo laud historical summit of Pyongyang, Washington

All News 19:24 June 12, 2018

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; ADDS details throughout)

SEOUL, June 12 (Yonhap) -- China expressed welcome and support for the North Korea-United States summit held in Singapore on Tuesday, saying the joint declaration made by Pyongyang and Washington marked a milestone to bring peace to the Korean Peninsula.

Geng Shuang, a spokesman of China's Foreign Ministry, said Beijing wishes to play a constructive role to help implement the summit agreement during a regular press briefing after being asked by a Yonhap News reporter to comment on the summit declaration.

"The international community has paid attention to the North Korea-U.S. summit in Singapore. As Foreign Minister Wang Yi said, it is very important and positively meaningful that the leaders of the two countries held dialogue on an equal footing," Geng said.

"New history has been made and China welcomes and supports it. This is also a goal that contains China's expectations and efforts."

He then expressed the wish that North Korea and the U.S. would remove obstacles, build mutual confidence and take substantial steps to attain denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula.

"We wish all related countries join the efforts, and China will play its own constructive role," the spokesman said.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also expressed support over the summit, saying the joint statement reflected Kim's willingness to seek the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

Abe also vowed to expand cooperation with the international community, including Washington, Beijing, Seoul, and Moscow, to settle various agendas surrounding North Korea, especially the return of Japanese abductees in Pyongyang.

"I highly praise and appreciate President Trump for mentioning the issue of abduction (of Japaneses by North Korea) to Kim, which is an important issue for Japan," Abe told reporters.

Abe also said Tokyo will directly negotiate with Pyongyang to have Japanese abductees return home.