China calls for comprehensive approach to Korean Peninsula nuclear issue

BEIJING - China has always advocated a comprehensive approach to seeking both temporary and permanent solutions to the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, said a Foreign Ministry spokesman on Monday.

Spokesman Hong Lei made the remarks when asked to comment on a statement issued by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Saturday.

In the statement, the DPRK said its hydrogen bomb test was a "self-defense measure" and the United States should recognize it as a nuclear weapons state.

It also said all proposals offered to the US are still valid, including a nuclear testing moratorium in exchange for a halt to joint military drills by Seoul and Washington and the conclusion of a peace treaty to replace the armistice agreement signed in 1953.

The DPRK is "channeling all its efforts into the building of an economic power and feels no need to provoke anyone," it added.

China hopes that all parties concerned can keep calm and hopes that they will address the issue through dialogue and consultation, accommodate each other's concerns and jointly seek lasting peace and stability for the region, said Hong.

On Jan 6, the DPRK announced that it has successfully carried out its first hydrogen bomb test. The move immediately evoked a chorus of international condemnation, with some commentators expressing suspicion about the announcement.