A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Thursday called all parties to preserve peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula after the two Koreas exchanged artillery fire around a contentious maritime border.

"We noticed reports and hope concerned sides can step up efforts to jointly safeguard peace and stability on the peninsula, which conforms to the fundamental interests of all sides," spokesman Ma Zhaoxu told a regular briefing.

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea fired artillery shells Thursday into waters near the contentious sea border called the Northern Limit Line off the west coast of the peninsula, for the third time in two days.

The Republic of Korea responded to the first round of firing on Wednesday by firing some 100 Vulcan cannons as a warning, but only sent two warning messages without firing warning shots in response to the later shootings.

No casualties or injuries were reported as the two sides did not fire at each other.

The contentious maritime border, where the most recent naval skirmish between the two Koreas took place in November last year, was fixed by the U.S.-led United Nations Command after the 1950-1953 Korean War.