China says nothing should be done to "inflame" Korean Peninsula situation

China said Wednesday that the most pressing task now is to prevent any escalation of the tension on the Korean Peninsula and nothing should be done to "inflame the situation".

"The parties concerned should keep calm and exercise restraint, and work to bring the situation back onto the track of dialogue and negotiation," said Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi while addressing a forum in Beijing.

"China decides its position based on the merits of each case and does not seek to protect any side," Yang said.

Yang's remarks came as the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the United States on Sunday launched a four-day joint naval drill in waters west of the divided Korean Peninsula, following the exchange of artillery fire last Tuesday between the ROK and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

"Showing power and confrontation is not a solution to problems and not in the interests of related parties," Yang said.

"The stability on the Korean Peninsula is conducive to all; the chaos there is detrimental to all," Yang said.

China on Sunday proposed to hold emergency consultations among the heads of delegation to the six-party talks in Beijing in early December.

The talks group China, the DPRK, the United States, the ROK, Russia and Japan.

Yang said the emergency talks "will help ease the current tension and create conditions for the resumption of the six-party talks".

"We will make continued efforts to encourage all parties to work together to maintain peace and stability on the Peninsula and in Northeast Asia," Yang said.