BEIJING, March 31 (Reuters) - China called for calm and restraint on the Korean peninsula after North Korea fired artillery during a military exercise near a disputed maritime border with the South on Monday, prompting the South to fire back.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Hong Lei made the remarks in a daily briefing.
The military exercise by the North, in response to U.N. condemnation of its missile launches last week, appeared to be sabre rattling from Pyongyang rather than a prelude to heightened tensions. (Reporting By Ben Blanchard, writing by Megha Rajagopalan)
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