As a close neighbor of the Korean peninsula, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Beijing will not allow war or chaos to erupt in the military hotspot as he vowed to take the diplomatic avenue to rid North Korea of nuclear weapons.

President Xi, who spoke before a group of Asian foreign ministers on Thursday, said the breakout of war would be to no one's advantage and efforts to bring back Pyongyang to the negotiating table are currently being worked out by the concerned nations.

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"We will absolutely not permit war or chaos on the peninsula. This situation would not benefit anyone," Xi said. 

UN resolution

Xi reassured foreign ministers that Beijing continues to back the UN Security Council's new resolution which imposed severe sanctions against the belligerent state

The United States has been pressuring China to do more in reigning in Pyongyang following the latter's fourth missile test in January, but Beijing countered Washington's statements saying that the latter should assume part of the responsibility in restraining Pyongyang and not leave all the problem-solving to the mainland.

Rejected offer

North Korea recently offered the US a unilateral moratorium on its missile tests provided Washington would halt its current military exercises with Seoul. US President Barack Obama rejected the offer and said that he will only deal with Pyongyang once it abandons its development of its nuclear programme.

Seoul is anticipating the North's fifth nuclear test before the ruling congress convenes on May 6 where young leader Kim Jong-Un is expected to try to cement his leadership.

China has long called for the Korean peninsula to be free of nuclear weapons but Pyongyang remains stubborn over the years. It has not caved in, so far, to pressures from the international community.

Around 30,000 US troops are stationed in Seoul. US and South Korea are still in negotiations on whether or not Washington will deploy the THAAD missile system on South Korean soil to counter Pyongyang's nuclear tests.

TagsKorean peninsula, President Xi Jinping, Pyongyang, Seoul, Kim Jong Un, china, THAAD missile system, nuclear programme