Ministry: Stop fanning flames

China urged parties involved to stop exaggerating what they cite as "China's responsibility" in addressing the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, saying this is driven by "ulterior motives".

China is neither the focal point of the issue, nor the force behind the increased tension in the peninsula, and it does not hold the key to solving the issue, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said in Beijing on Tuesday.

The spokesman made the remarks as the United States and Japan are pressing China to play a bigger role and put more pressure on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

The US has circulated a proposed resolution to the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, according to the Associated Press, looking for new sanctions on the DPRK, which claimed to have successfully launched an intercontinental ballistic missile earlier this month.

"The crux of the issue lies in the dispute between the US and the DPRK. The issue is essentially about security," Geng said.

"Recently, some people have been playing up and underlining the so-called China responsibility in the peninsula's nuclear issue," Geng said.

"They do this either because of a lack of comprehensive and accurate understanding of the issue or out of ulterior motives and attempts to shirk their responsibility," he said.

Reiterating the "unremitting effort" China has been making and the "important and constructive role" it has been playing, Geng said China's role is "indispensable" for solving the issue.

China's efforts will be undermined if other countries do not coordinate, Geng emphasized.

"If China is working hard to extinguish the fire, while some others are trying to fan the flames; if China is carrying out the UN Security Council resolutions to the full, while some others are infringing on China's legitimate rights and interests ... how can the issue be solved?"

China hopes all parties will take on their due roles and responsibilities, and work with it to pull the issue back to the negotiating table as soon as possible, Geng added.