BEIJING (Reuters) - China told U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Friday it would play a "constructive role" in resolving the standoff over Iran's nuclear program.

Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing made the comments in a joint press appearance with Rice, who was in Beijing as part of an Asian tour to rally support for sanctions against North Korea for its nuclear test.

"China is ready to continue with its constructive role in the process of peacefully resolving the Iranian nuclear issue through negotiations," Li said.

European nations are expected to soon circulate proposed UN Security Council sanctions on Iran for refusing to halt its uranium enrichment program.

Iran is a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) has legal right to enrich uranium under the NPT safeguards agreement.

China has long urged the resolution of the issue through negotiations and been resistant to tougher action such as sanctions.

But it spoke out strongly against North Korea's nuclear test and supported the UN's weapons and financial sanctions against its neighbor and longtime ally.