By the CNN Wire Staff
(CNN) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said Sunday that Northeast Asia -- which includes the Korean Peninsula -- must push for peace and avoid violent clashes in the aftermath of the sinking of a South Korean warship, state news reported.
"We must promote peace and stability in the Northeast Asian region through every effort," Wen said, according to South Korea's Yonhap news agency. "We should be considerate of each other on a grave issue, deal reasonably with a sensitive matter and strengthen political trust".
His comments to reporters came after two days of meetings with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama on the South Korean island of Jeju.
The summit came amid mounting regional tension, but was scheduled before the release of a report accusing North Korea of firing a torpedo that sank the Cheonan warship, killing 46 sailors.
Lee has said that his government planned to bring the issue before the U.N. Security Council. But any attempts to seek penalties against North Korea there would need the cooperation of China -- which has veto power on the council.
North Korea has denied the South Korean report's claims. And China, long North Korea's main international supporter, has steered clear of publicly taking sides on the issue.
