Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Wednesday that China suggested "dual suspension" as the first step toward tackling the peninsula crisis.

That would mean Pyongyang suspending its nuclear and missile tests and suspension of the large-scale joint military drills by Seoul and Washington, Wang said.

He made the remarks when asked about the tensions on the peninsula at a news conference during the annnual session of the National People's Congress in Beijing.

Tensions are running high on the Korean Peninsula as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea launched ballistic missiles on Monday amid the ongoing joint military drills by the US and the Republic of Korea, which are seen as posing great security pressure on the DPRK.

Wang said the two sides are like "two accelerating trains heading toward each other with neither side willing to give way".

"Are the two sides really ready for a head-on collision? Our priority now is to flash a red light and apply the brakes," Wang added.

Wang said there is still a chance to resume the Six-Party Talks about the nuclear issue, and there is hope for peace.

"Nuclear weapons will not bring security, and the use of force is no solution," he said.

Wang said both fulfilling sanctions and promoting talks are part of the efforts to implement the United Nations Security Council's resolutions on the issue, and the two tracks should proceed simultaneously.

China will continue to be "a railway switchman" to shift the issue back on the track of seeking settlement through negotiations, Wang said.

Contact the writers at zhangyunbi@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily USA 03/09/2017 page5)