CHINA said yesterday that a mutual halt to provocative actions by the United States and North Korea stands the best chance for ending the countries’ standoff.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said that the North should suspend its nuclear weapons programme at the same time as the US and South Korea stopping military exercises near the border.

Mr Geng called the “freeze-for-freeze initiative” the “most viable and reasonable plan” which would also address “the most urgent security concerns of all sides.”