China presses Myanmar junta as global outrage grows

The Myanmar junta's closest ally China made Saturday its most strident call yet for an end to the violent crackdown on protestors in Yangon as pressure on the regime continued to grow worldwide.
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao urged Myanmar to seek stability in a peaceful manner and work towards democracy and development, the government said.
"China hopes that all parties concerned in Myanmar show restraint, resume stability through peaceful means as soon as possible, promote domestic reconciliation and achieve democracy and development," Wen said.
Wen was the highest ranking Chinese official to comment on the situation so far amid pressure on Beijing from Western countries including the United States to use its leverage to stop the violence in Yangon.
The comments, made while discussing the Myanmar situation with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, came as EU foreign policy head Javier Solana called on Beijing to exert more pressure.
"All countries which have influence on the decisions of those in power in Myanmar should act now. This applies particularly to its direct neighbours such as China," Solana said in an interview with Germany's Bild am Sonntag.
The generals who run the country formerly known as Burma sent in troops this week to clamp down on pro-democracy protesters led by Buddhist monks, killing at least 13 people and arresting hundreds.
The United States and Britain, as well as Burmese opposition groups, have raised fears the death toll could be far higher.
In Brussels, a high-level European diplomat summoned Myanmar's charge d'affaires to "explain" the possible tightening of sanctions against his country, a spokeswoman said Saturday.
A deputy of Solana, Helga Shmidt, received Han Thu on Friday to warn that the 27-nation bloc was preparing to reinforce sanctions, Solana's spokeswoman Cristina Gallach said.