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BEIJING: China has thrown its hat in the ring after the two Koreas exchanged artillery fire last Tuesday, and the United States made it clear it was going to stick to its old allay, South Korea.

The Chinese foreign ministry on Friday objected to a move by Washington to participate in a joint military exercise with South Korea from November 28, which is seen as a measure to deter North Korea.

"We oppose any party to take any military actions in our exclusive economic zone without permission," Hong Lei, a Foreign Ministry spokesman, said on Friday. The statement gives a new dimension to the dispute in the Korean peninsula and might affect Seoul’s plans to deal with its troublesome neighbour.

Beijing has kept away from taking a clear stand in favour of either of the two Koreas although it is closer to North Korea in some ways.

The statement is significant because is Beijing is involved making preparations for a planned tour of Washington by Chinese president Hu Jintao.

The Chinese government said that sea areas within 200 nautical miles of a country’s coastline fall under the definition of exclusive economic zone. It suspects South Korea and the US to carry out military exercise in the Yellow sea within its exclusive economic zone although there is no clarification from Seoul or Washington on this matter.

The US military aircraft carrier USS George Washington is due to set sail from Yokosuka naval base to reach the Yellow Sea for the joint excercise.

Hong had said China was "concerned" over reports about the joint exercises.

The exchange of fire had killed two marines and two civilians in South Korea on Tuesday.