Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said Wednesday that China is "seriously concerned" over the tensions caused by the missile test-firing by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

"We are seriously concerned with what had happened," Liu said in a press release.

He urged the parties concerned to keep calm and exercise restraint, make more efforts to promote peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula and the northeast Asia and avoid actions that further intensify and complicate the situation.

China has made unremitting efforts to ease the tensions in the Korean Peninsula, maintain regional peace and stability and push forward the negotiation process of the six-party talks, Liu said.

"We'll continue to work together with all the other parties and play a constructive role," Liu said.

Meanwhile, a press release from China's Foreign Ministry said Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing on Wednesday held phone talks with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Japanese Foreign Minister Aso Taro, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Republic of Korea Ban Ki-Moon and Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer respectively.

Li exchanged views with the four foreign ministers on the latest development of the situation on the Korean Peninsula, according to the press release.

Source: Xinhua