BEIJING - China on Tuesday reiterated its call for dialogues and consultations to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula, stressing that peaceful approaches are the only effective way to handle the issue.

"Concerned parties should use their flexibility, actively interact with each other and resume dialogues and consultations at an early date," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said at a press conference.

He urged concerned parties to make joint efforts to send the situation on the peninsula "in a good direction".

China will continue to work with concerned parties and play a constructive role in helping restore peace and stability on the peninsula, he said.

Hong also commented on former US President Jimmy Carter's visit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and confirmed that Carter stopped in Beijing en route to Pyongyang.

China appreciates dialogues initiated by the parties involved, including the United States and the DPRK, Hong said, expressing his hope that these initiatives will eventually result in the resumation of six-party talks.

It is China's primary objective to safeguard peace and stability on the peninsula, promote the peninsula's denuclearization process and the normalization of relationships between relevant countries, Hong said.

Former US President Jimmy Carter, accompanied by three other former state leaders, arrived in Pyongyang Tuesday morning for a three-day visit to help ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula.