Hu, Obama hold talks on tensions

China greatly concerned as Peninsula situation 'may spiral out of control'

BEIJING - President Hu Jintao told US President Barack Obama that the situation on the Korean Peninsula may spiral out of control if not handled properly, during a telephone conversation on Monday.

The conversation, the first the two leaders have had with each other since the two Koreas exchanged artillery fire last month, signaled that both China and the United States want to calm tension on the peninsula, experts said.