China is calling for the start of negotiations to maintain peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

Calling the situation "extraordinarily complicated" and "sensitive", Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu warns that if bloodshed occurs, the people on the Korean Peninsula would be the first to suffer. She says it would also destabilize the region and endanger neighboring countries.

Jiang Yu says countries in the region and the international community want to avoid escalation, and see dialogue rather than confrontation. She says China firmly opposes any action that may lead to escalation of tensions or destabilization in the region.

The spokeswoman calls on all parties involved to make constructive efforts to solve disputes through peaceful means.