Xi Jinping and Kim Jong-un recently met in Beijing in a bid to improve bilateral relations (Reuters)Shanghai:  China's foreign ministry said on Saturday it welcomed a move by North Korea to halt nuclear and missile tests, which it said would help ease tensions on the Korean peninsula and promote denuclearisation."The Chinese side believes that North Korea's decision will help ameliorate the situation on the peninsula," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on its website.

"China welcomes this." North Korea's state media said earlier on Saturday the country would immediately halt nuclear and missile tests and abolish a nuclear test site in a bid to pursue economic growth and peace on the Korean Peninsula.North Korea is set for summits with South Korean President Moon Jae-in next week and with US President Donald Trump in late May or early June.© Thomson Reuters 2018(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)