BEIJING, June 1. /TASS/. Russia’s fostering relations with North Korea encourages the settlement of the Korean Peninsula’s nuclear issue and positively affects the situation in the region, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying told reporters on Friday.

"Russia is China’s close neighbor and also a participant of six-party talks. It plays an important role in maintaining peace and stability in the region and advocates a peaceful and diplomatic solution of the Korean Peninsula’s nuclear issue," the diplomat said.

"We are also confident that stable development of relations between Russia and North Korea makes a contribution to settling the Korean Peninsula’s nuclear issue and maintaining peace and stability in the region," she said.

North Korea is committed to denuclearization, and Russia has also voiced support for the denuclearization process and also welcomed holding the summit between North Korea and the United States, the diplomat noted. "We certainly believe that this is a positive signal," she stressed.

On Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov paid an official visit to Pyongyang and met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang’s Paekhwawon State Guesthouse.

Lavrov was the first Russian official to meet with Kim this year. His visit took place amid the intensified US-North Korean dialogue and less than two weeks ahead of the US-North Korean summit meeting scheduled in Singapore for June 12.

Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was too early to contemplate the possibility of a personal meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. However, he confirmed that Lavrov had delivered a message from the Russian leader to Kim.