Forty-four percent of Chinese people believe that dialogue is the best way to persuade North Korea to abandon its nuclear program, a survey by China's state-run media showed Wednesday.

The survey of about 11,000 Chinese, conducted by the state-run Xinhua News Agency, also showed that 32 percent of them responded that there is "no effective solution" about North Korea's defiant pursuit of nuclear weapons. 

The remaining 24 percent said China needs to toughen its sanctions against North Korea.

Weeks after conducting its fourth nuclear test, North Korea launched a long-range rocket, triggering a fresh round of international condemnations. The Sunday launch is widely viewed as a covert ballistic missile test. 

Asked about China's role after North Korea's rocket launch, 57 percent said China should not allow "war or chaos" on the Korean Peninsula, repeating China's official talking points about the issue. 

About 25 percent responded that China needs to play a role in resuming the six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear program. 

Analysts say China's top priority is to maintain stability in North Korea, rather than denuclearizing the isolated ally. 

China, North Korea's diplomatic and economic lifeline, has resisted calls to hand down crippling economic sanctions on North Korea following its latest nuclear test.

China's leadership fears sanctions could lead to a sudden collapse of the regime, possibly sparking a refugee crisis at its border and leading to a pro-U.S., democratic Korea on its doorstep, analysts say. (Yonhap)