To prevent such incidents and restore lasting peace on the Peninsula, the international community has to intensify its efforts to bring all the parties to the negotiation table. That is the shared goal of China and the US, too.

Objectively speaking, China and the US both have made great efforts to ease the tensions on the Peninsula. Soon after the exchange of fire, China appealed to all the countries involved in Six-Party Talks to hold urgent dialogue. During his visit to Pyongyang, China's State Councilor Dai Bingguo urged the DPRK to restrain itself, and urged the US to cooperate on the issue. These efforts show China's determination and willingness to maintain peace on the Korean Peninsula.

The US, too, has made efforts to restore peace on the Peninsula. Bill Richardson, governor of the US state of New Mexico, gave the DPRK a precious opportunity to let the rest of the world know its thirst for peace by visiting Pyongyang at the critical time. Stephen Bosworth, US envoy for DPRK affairs, promoted security talks among China, Japan and the ROK through his shuttle diplomacy. And US Defense Secretary Robert Gates' visit to China, Japan and the ROK brought Sino-US military ties back on track, and created a good environment for restoring peace on the Peninsula. These efforts echo China's moves to restore peace and stability on the Peninsula.

Though the situation on the Peninsula is returning to normal, the danger of military confrontation has not been eliminated completely. Some vested interests are still trying to provoke a conflict between the DPRK and the ROK, and drive a wedge between China and the US. Their aim is to benefit from the chaos in the region. The international community, especially the responsible powers, should be aware of such conspiracies and prevent the brains behind them from succeeding.

As the two powers most responsible for maintaining peace in the Asia-Pacific region, China and the US should take joint steps to prevent a military confrontation and restore lasting peace on the Peninsula.

The urgent task for China and the US today is to persuade the DPRK and the ROK to hold direct talks. To help the Peninsula emerge out of the crisis, it is important to resume the Six-Party Talks soon and carry out the Joint Statement of Sept 19, 2005, on the denuclearization of the Peninsula.

Since China and the US have more common interests than differences on the Korean Peninsula issue, we hope the two countries would cooperate sincerely to restore peace and stability in the region.

The author is a professor and director of the Center for Strategic and Conflict Management at the China Foreign Affairs University in Beijing.