NBC News — China thursday welcomed North Korea's agreement to suspend atomic tests and uranium enrichment as part of a preliminary deal with the United States. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said that his country was happy to see an improvement in relations between North Korea and the U.S.

Along with halting weapons activities, North Korea said it would permit nuclear inspectors from the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency to visit its nuclear complex to verify the moratorium on uranium enrichment has been enforced. It was not clear how much access inspectors would be allowed.