Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan and his Japanese counterpart Kawaguchi Yoriko exchanged views on the situation on the Korean Peninsula in a phone call Wednesday afternoon.

Kawaguchi Yoriko said she was concerned about the nuclear issue of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and that Japan hoped the issue would be resolved peacefully. She added that Japan and China had much in common in their views on the issue, and Japan was willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation.

Tang said China, as always, supported a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula, and was dedicated to maintaining the peace and stability of the peninsula and resolving issues through dialogue.

China hoped all sides concerned would continue to abide by the 1994 agreement on the DPRK's nuclear capabilities reached in Geneva between the United States and the DPRK, he said.

He said both China and Japan were neighbors of the Korean Peninsula and had a common interest in maintaining peace and stability there, adding that China approved of the efforts of Japan and DPRK in improving bilateral ties and realizing the normalization of relations.

China was willing to strengthen coordination with Japan to make constructive efforts in maintaining the peace and stability on the peninsula, Tang said.

(Xinhua News Agency December 5, 2002)