SEOUL, South Korea — China told South Korea today that it will not defend whoever it determines was responsible for the sinking of a South Korean warship that killed 46 sailors, the South Korean government said.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao made the comments after meeting South Korean President Lee Myung-bak amid tensions on the Korean peninsula following the March 26 torpedo attack near the disputed North-South sea border.

South Korea, the United States and Japan have condemned North Korea after a multinational investigation blamed Pyongyang for the attack. China, however, took a cautious position.

China will decide its stance after considering international probes and the reactions of all countries, Wen told Lee, according to a briefing by presidential adviser Lee Dong-kwan. "China will defend no one" whatever the outcome, Wen said, according to Lee.

China's backing would be key to any bid to condemn or sanction North Korea. Beijing, a veto-wielding permanent U.N. Security Council member, so far has refrained from committing to council action against Pyongyang, its neighbor and traditional ally.

Wen's remarks appear to show China is sensitive to South Korean anger over the incident and rising criticism of Beijing's reluctance to endorse the investigation results or criticize Pyongyang.

Chinese leaders were pressed hard on the issue during talks with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton earlier this week.