China urges patience over N. Korea

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NINGBO, China, April 8 (UPI) -- China will remain engaged in efforts to resolve the ongoing friction over North Korea, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said Sunday.

Yang said at a trilateral summit in Ningbo with his counterparts from South Korea and Japan that diplomacy and patience was the best approach in easing the tensions over Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions.

"China will maintain close communication and coordination with the relevant parties and work with them to play a constructive role in upholding overall peace and stability of the region and advancing the Six-Party Talks process," Yang said.

Yang said China was concerned about North Korea's pending long-range missile launch later this month; however he urged the world to exercise restraint and continue looking for a peaceful resolution to the tensions.

China's Xinhua news service said the discussions at the Sixth Trilateral Foreign Ministers' Meeting also focused on strengthening ties among the three nations and building an atmosphere of trust that would enable them to accomplish more and build a "future-oriented comprehensive cooperative partnership."