China says 'concerned' over Korean Peninsula tensions after North fires ICBM

China on Thursday said it was "concerned" over the situation on the Korean Peninsula, after Pyongyang said it had test-fired one of its most powerful missiles to boost its nuclear deterrent. China has consistently maintained that preserving peace and stability on the peninsula and promoting the process of political resolution to the peninsula issue aligns with the common interests of all parties, ministry spokesman Lin Jian said.

China is a longtime ally of North Korea, which relies heavily on Beijing for diplomatic and economic support. Beijing and Seoul are also major trade partners.