China to "work hard for political solution" to North Korea's dispatch of troops to Russia

Regarding the North Korean military's dispatch to Russia, China said, "I hope each party will drive de-escalation of the situation and work on a political solution."

"China's position on the Ukraine crisis is consistent and clear," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Zhen said at a regular briefing.

Asked at the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, this week if Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin would discuss sending troops to North Korea, they said they had no information to provide on details of the talks.

Asked how he sees the current situation on the Korean Peninsula, he reiterated his previous position that he hopes the parties will face the source of the Korean Peninsula problem and play a constructive role in easing the situation and driving peace and stability through dialogue.

Earlier, the National Intelligence Service said North Korea had sent more than 1,500 special forces to Vladivostok on a Russian naval transport ship.