China calls on North Korea to suspend nuclear activities

China has called on North Korea to suspend its nuclear and missile activities in exchange for a halt in joint military drills conducted by the U.S. and South Korea.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said escalating tensions on the Korean peninsula were like "two accelerating trains, coming toward each other with neither side willing to give way."

Wang asked: "Are the two sides really ready for a head-on collision?"

He added that as a first step to defusing the looming crisis, the North might suspend its nuclear and missile activities if the US and South Korea halted their military exercises.

Wang said the "suspension-for-suspension can help us break out of the security dilemma and bring the parties back to the negotiating table."

The appeal comes after North Korea launched four missiles on Monday.

The launch came days after Seoul and Washington started massive joint military drills, which Pyongyang insists are an invasion rehearsal.