China Calls for North Korean Nuclear Disarmament Talks

China has called for a meeting of envoys to six-party North Korean nuclear disarmament talks in a move to ease tensions between North and South Korea following recent artillery exchanges.

Chinese vice foreign minister and envoy Wu Dawei said chief negotiators to the six-nation talks have been asked to come to Beijing in early December to exchange views on major issues of concern to the parties.

"I want to stress that a series of complicated factors have recently emerged on the Korean peninsula. The international community, particularly the members of the six-party talks, is deeply concerned," he added.

Previous talks have tried to persuade North Korea to abandon its nuclear programmes, and China hopes the December meeting would help relaunch nuclear disarmament negotiations.

The talks would bring together the main regional powers of the US, Japan, Russia, China, South Korea and North Korea, according to the Associated Press.