China: US signal on Korean Peninsula encouraging

China expressed encouragement for "positive signals" the United States has sent over the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, and called for concrete action to fulfill its "Four Nos" promise.

"China speaks positively of the 'Four Nos' promise that the US has reiterated multiple times, and hopes the US will demonstrate the promise in concrete action," Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said in Beijing on Friday.

Lu added China also hopes the Democratic People's Republic of Korea will "walk in the same direction".

Lu's remarks came after Susan Thornton, the US acting assistant secretary of state, said on Thursday that her country's "pressure campaign" is aimed at bringing the DPRK back to negotiations.

Thornton told a US Senate hearing the US is not seeking regime change or its collapse, neither does it seek an accelerated reunification of the peninsula or an excuse to garrison troops north of the Armistice Agreement's Military Demarcation Line.

She added the US has "no desire to inflict harm" on the people of the DPRK.

Lu said China has noted these comments.

"Recently relevant parties have sent out positive signals, one after another, that the peninsula's nuclear issue should be solved through dialogue and consultation in the end, to which we express our encouragement," the spokesman said.

Lu added China hopes all parties involved will "show enough sincerity" and create conditions for talks.

According to Reuters, Thornton also urged the US Congress members not to rush to enact new sanctions, before she left with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson for China.

Tillerson will be in Beijing on Saturday to meet with State Councilor Yang Jiechi and Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The Korean Peninsula nuclear issue will be high on the agenda.