A Chinese flag at the Broken Bridge that once connected the Chinese border city of Dandong, Liaoning province and the North Korean town of Sinuiju.

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 denuclearization.

"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 U.S. President Donald Trump in late May or early June.