BEIJING — Premier Li Keqiang said on March 20 that China will make utmost efforts to facilitate denuclearization and peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula.

Premier Li made the remarks at a news conference after the conclusion of the annual session of China’s top legislature.

Premier Li said China welcomes recent de-escalation of tensions on the Korean Peninsula and supports all efforts that are conducive to solving the Peninsula nuclear issue through talks and negotiations.

He said China hopes that all parties will show sincerity and take concrete actions to get the nuclear issue back to the track of negotiation, so that new progress will be made towards the denuclearization, peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula.

“The Peninsula is China’s close neighborhood, and directly concerns China’s own interests, so you can well imagine how much attention we have paid to the situation there,” Premier Li said.