China on Tuesday reaffirmed its opposition to Pyongyang's nuclear tests, and committed to determining peaceful means for achieving the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

"China maintains that sanctions shall not be the objective, and we urges relevant parties to stick to dialogues and explore effective ways of attaining lasting peace and stability in the region under the framework of the six-party talks," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a daily press briefing.

Hua made the remarks when asked to comment on the U.S. unilateral sanctions on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

She did not directly comment on the actions of the United States, but cited the latest resolution of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

The UNSC on Thursday unanimously passed resolution 2094, condemning the DPRK's third nuclear test, which took place on February 12. The DPRK also conducted nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009.

The resolution demands that the DPRK not proceed with any further nuclear tests. It also says the country should abandon any nuclear arms programs and return to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

The resolution also urges a peaceful, diplomatic and political resolution to the current situation and a resumption of the six-party talks.

(Xinhua News Agency March 12, 2013)