Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo said on Sunday that China and the United States should help ease the tensions on the Korean Peninsula and facilitate dialogues.

In a phone conversation with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton about the recent development on the Korean Peninsula, Dai said that China is deeply concerned with the dynamics in the area.

Beijing holds that the immediate priority is to try to calm the current situation and reject any move that might escalate the tensions, he added.

At the critical moment, Dai said, China and the United States should actively play a constructive role and take concerted efforts to mitigate the situation as soon as possible and safeguard peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula.

The starting point of all Chinese efforts is to maintain the peninsula's peace and stability, he said, adding that all relevant parties should make joint efforts to secure an early resumption of negotiations and seek solutions via dialogues.

Clinton, for her part, said that Washington and Beijing share common interests in maintaining the Korean Peninsula's stability and that cooperation is of pivotal significance.

The United States is willing to work together with China to keep peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula, she added.

The two sides also agreed to maintain close contact on the issue.

An exchange of artillery fire between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and South Korea last week killed four people, and aroused the concerns of the international community.

(Xinhua News Agency November 29, 2010)