No party has the right to incite or start a war on the Korean Peninsula, said China's Deputy Foreign Minister, Cui Tiankai, in Beijing Monday.

"No one has the right to cause bloodshed of the people on the peninsula," Cui said while commenting on the region's mounting tensions at the 13th China-Australia human rights talks.

He said negotiation, rather than war or conflict, was the only viable solution to their differences and disputes.

China had consistently supported and worked for peace and stability on the peninsula, said Cui.

China had made intensive diplomatic efforts with the parties and hoped everyone involved could work with China for the same goal.

The UN Security Council met for more than eight hours Sunday to discuss the situation on the peninsula, but failed to reach a consensus before the Republic of Korea (ROK) conducted its second live-fire artillery drill from a western border island since last month.

Shortly before the drill, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) told Bill Richardson, Governor of the U.S. state of New Mexico who was on a visit to the DPRK, that it would permit the return of UN nuclear inspectors as part of a package of measures to ease tensions.

The Rodong Sinmun, the DPRK's official newspaper, urged the whole nation in its Monday commentary to oppose war and safeguard peace.