Chinese, S. Korean FMs discuss Peninsula situation over phone

BEIJING - Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and his South Korean counterpart Kim Sung-hwan talked over phone on Wednesday and exchanged their views on the current situation on the Korean Peninsula.

The talks between the two senior diplomats came one day after the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) conducted its third nuclear test despite opposition of the international community.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that China was "strongly dissatisfied with" and "firmly opposed to" DPRK's nuclear test, urging Pyongyang to honor its denuclearization commitment and not to take any actions that would worsen the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

"China always supports the denuclearization on the (Korean) Peninsula in an aim to safeguard the peace and stability of the peninsula," and that China will continue to work on the concerns of all the involved parties under the framework of the six-party talks through dialogue and consultation in a balanced way, said the foreign ministry.

It urged the DPRK to refrain from any words and actions that may further worsen the situation and return to the right track of dialogue and consultation at an early date.

Also on Tuesday, the Chinese foreign minister held telephone talks with US Secretary of State John Kerry over the DPRK's nuclear test. He summoned DPRK ambassador to China later to lodge a solemn representation.

The DPRK said the nuclear test was done for self-defense and as part of the countermeasures against hostile US policies.