All parties should keep calm and make joint efforts to ensure an early resumption of the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao.

The priority is to resume talks, and all sides have an interest in seeing this happen, he said at a regular press conference on Tuesday (Oct 24).

China is consulting closely with the other parties involved, but sustained and determined efforts are still required, Liu said.

He listed "positive signals" that have emerged recently, such as the six countries' consensus to resume the talks, but said they still disagree about how this should be done.

The next step is to find an acceptable way forward for all sides through close communication and negotiation, according to Liu.

Liu also said that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) told State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan during his visit there that it has no plans for a second nuclear test, and is willing to resume the six-party talks.

Tang visited the DPRK as special envoy of Chinese President Hu Jintao from October 18 to 19, and held a meeting with DPRK leader Kim Jong Il.

Regarding UN Security Council Resolution 1718, he said that sanctions against the DPRK were not a goal in themselves. Sanctions should be used to help resolve the nuclear issue through diplomatic channels, such as dialogue and negotiation, in order to maintain the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula.

The parties should not arbitrarily extend sanctions, and avoid confrontation, the spokesman stressed.

Liu reaffirmed China's adherence to the resolution, saying that China will "fully and firmly implement the resolution", and has prepared a series of mechanisms and measures to do this.

Adherence to the resolution is in China's interests, and the Chinese government will counter any actions in China that contravene the resolution, Liu said.

Referring to the aid that China gives the DPRK, Liu said it aims to improve living conditions. This is a plank of China's policy and helps preserve the stability of the Korean Peninsula.

Liu said the China-DPRK border situation is normal. Frontier control measures ensure the peace and stability of border areas, and no link should be made with the current situation on the Korean Peninsula.

Editor: Wing