China on Tuesday urged relevant parties to act prudently and stop fueling tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

The United States, the Republic of Korea (ROK) and Japan held a joint ballistic missile defense exercise off Hawaii's coast last week, the first time the three countries have held such drills since 2017, the Pentagon confirmed on Tuesday.

Asked whom the military drills were targeted at during a regular press briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said that was a question that should be answered by the U.S. side.

But the negative impact of the joint military drills on the Korean Peninsula situation deserves attention, Wang said.

"The parties concerned should act prudently, and stop actions that exacerbate tensions and confrontation and undermine mutual trust between the parties," he said.

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea has long condemned the joint exercises between the ROK and the U.S. and demanded the removal of U.S. troops from the Korean Peninsula.

Read more:

Putin says Russia and DPRK will expand bilateral relations: KCNA