Beijing urged "calm and restraint" from all sides and stressed the need for a "political settlement" to the Korean Peninsula issue on Friday, one day after Pyongyang's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch and the following sanctions from the U.S.

"We express concern at the present situation," said Wang Wenbin, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry. 

Any move that could further deteriorate and escalate the regional tension should not be taken, Wang stressed, calling for negotiations.

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) confirmed that it had conducted the launch of a new type of ICBM Hwasongpho-17 on Thursday under the guidance of leader Kim Jong Un, which marked the first full-capability launch of the country's largest missiles since 2017.

"The new strategic weapon of the DPRK would make the whole world clearly aware of the power of our strategic armed forces once again," Kim was quoted by KCNA as saying.

Hours after, Washington announced sanctions targeting DPRK's missile programs. The sanctions would include two Russian companies and a DPRK entity for transferring sensitive items to the program.

During Friday's regular press briefing, Wang called for bringing back the stalled diplomatic talks and the solution that could break the stalemate in the Korean Peninsula, after over two years of impasse since Kim and then U.S. President Donald Trump's cut-short meeting in Vietnam.

China will continue to play a constructive role in helping realize denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and promote a political settlement to the Korean Peninsula issue, Wang said.