Sanctions against North Korea won't solve Korean peninsula crisis, says China

Beijing : Sanctions against North Korea will not solve the crisis on the Korean peninsula if other channels to ease tensions are not opened up, China said on Tuesday.

China's statement came as the UN is studying the possibility of a stronger resolution against Pyongyang following its latest nuclear test on Sunday.

"Military force is never an option and sanctions alone offer no way out" for resolving the conflict, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said at a press conference.

Geng did not say whether China would support fresh sanctions on its neighbour and said that the decisions of the Security Council were the result of the discussions among its members.

While the US, France and Britain are in favour of a strong response against the North Korean regime following its latest nuclear test, Geng urged the resumption of talks and hoped that all parties would refrain from escalating tensions.

He said it was important to find a solution through peaceful means and China hoped that all parties involved would remain calm instead of adding fuel to the fire.

Geng commended Switzerland's offer to act as mediator in the crisis.

"China welcomes and encourages all proposals and efforts that are conducive to alleviating tension," the spokesperson said.