China is committed to maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and opposed to any actions that might aggravate the situation, President Hu Jintao said yesterday.

Hu made the remarks when talking to his US counterpart George W. Bush about Pyongyang's launch of several missiles on Wednesday.

In the telephone conversation, Bush said that the United States was concerned about the current situation on the Korean Peninsula.

Washington still adheres to the commitment of resolving the Korean Peninsula issue by diplomatic means, Bush was quoted as saying in a statement from China's Foreign Ministry.

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) acknowledged for the first time yesterday that it had launched the missiles. It vowed to conduct more tests and threatened to use force if the international community tried to stop it.

"We will go on with missile launch exercises as part of efforts to bolster deterrence for self-defence in the future, too," DPRK's official KCNA news agency quoted a foreign ministry spokesman as saying.

"The DPRK will have no option but to take stronger physical actions of other forms should any other country dare take issue with the exercises and put pressure upon it."

The DPRK reportedly launched at least six missiles from its east coast early on Wednesday, including a long-range Taepodong-2, which some experts said could hit Alaska.

The Republic of Korea (ROK) press reported yesterday that the DPRK had three or four short- or medium-range missiles on launch pads ready for firing.

US Undersecretary of State R. Nicholas Burns told CNN yesterday that his country would work to muster international pressure on the DPRK to "cease and desist" such actions.

Russia and China said only diplomacy could halt the DPRK's nuclear and rocket development programmes.

Japan circulated a Security Council resolution that would ban any country from transferring funds, material and technology that could be used in the DPRK's missile programme.

Hu said China is "deeply concerned" over the situation.

"Under such a complicated situation, it is highly necessary for all the related parties to keep calm and show restraint," he said, adding that China is willing to continue negotiations with related parties on this issue.

It is of vital importance for the realization of a nuclear-weapon-free Korean Peninsula and the maintenance of peace and stability on the peninsula to fully implement the joint statement adopted during the fourth round of Six-Party Talks last September, Hu said.

He hoped all sides would create conditions for the resumption of the talks at an early date.

Bush said the United States appreciated China's efforts to maintain peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

US Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill will visit China today to discuss the missile issue, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu told a news briefing.

Vice-Foreign Minister Wu Dawei and Hill will exchange views on how to promote the Six-Party Talks under current situation, Jiang said.

"Facts prove that dialogue and consultation are effective ways to solve problems," said Jiang, noting that China would strive to ease tension through diplomacy.

Source: China Daily