Beijing welcomed a joint declaration signed by Pyongyang and Seoul on Wednesday, and called for the two sides to maintain efforts to promote interaction and cooperation.

Moon Jae-in, president of the Republic of Korea and Kim Jong-un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, signed a joint declaration in Pyongyang on Wednesday after their two-day talks.

Through the talks and the signing of the declaration, the two sides reached a new and important consensus on improving ties, easing regional military tension and promoting denuclearization of, and peace talks in, the Korean Peninsula, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on Wednesday.

It is the common aspiration by the people in the peninsula as well as in the whole region to attain peace, prosperity, reconciliation and cooperation, Geng said.

China, as a neighbor to the peninsula, has always supported the DPRK and the ROK in improving ties through talks and promoting reconciliation and cooperation, he said.

China hopes the two sides will implement their consensus as shown in the declaration, and contribute to a political settlement of the Korean Peninsula issue and lasting peace of the region, Geng added.