China has stepped up efforts to resolve an impasse over North Korea's nuclear arms ambitions as Beijing takes a key role in trying to coax Pyongyang back to talks.
Diplomacy aimed at easing a standoff that started last October quickened in capitals from Beijing to Washington to Moscow, breaking a lull of two months.
China, which will host South Korea's president for a key visit next week, sought the help of all parties to ease tensions on the Korean peninsula.
"China's efforts to promote the peaceful resolution of the North Korean issue will undoubtedly continue," a Foreign Ministry spokesman told a news conference. "And we hope relevant sides will cooperate with China's efforts".
He repeated China's plea that "all sides maintain calm and restraint and not take actions that could cause the situation to escalate".
China, communist Pyongyang's nearest friend, brokered and hosted an initial round of talks between China, North Korea and the United States in April to try to resolve the nuclear crisis.
No date has been set for another meeting. But it has been reported that North Korea had made a proposal for four-way talks to involve the United States, China, North Korea and South Korea.