China on Wednesday called on relevant parties on the Korean Peninsula to remain calm and exercise restraint.
"At present, the situation on the Korean Peninsula is complex and sensitive. We hope that no side takes any action to escalate the conflict," Defense Ministry spokesperson Geng Yansheng said at a monthly press briefing.
Geng made the remarks when asked to comment on media reports that the United States and the Republic of Korea were consulting on the deployment of the U.S. Global Hawk reconnaissance drone at the Korean Demilitarized Zone, a non-military buffer zone at the border region between the ROK and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).