China said Friday that it "has taken note of" the news that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) plans to launch a satellite.

"The Chinese side has taken note of the information released by the DPRK," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin in response to a question on the DPRK's announcement of plans to launch the satellite in April.

"To maintain the peace and stability of the Korean peninsula and Northeast Asia is not only in the common interests of all sides concerned, but also the shared aspiration of the international community," Liu said, calling on all parties concerned to play constructive roles.

Earlier on Friday, the DPRK's official news agency, KCNA, reported that the country is to launch in mid-April a working satellite, Kwangmyongsong-3, manufactured by itself with indigenous technology to mark the 100th birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung.