"I come here every year to pay respects to my old army friends," a 78-year Korean War veteran surnamed Fan told AFP, turning his head to adjust his hearing aid as he stood in a cemetery for victims of the 1950-1953 Korean War.

"The terrible lessons we learned in that war are deep and painful. China cannot afford to go down that road again."

The spectre of conflict has been raised again following North Korea's launch of what it says is a communications satellite, coinciding with China's annual Qing Ming, or tomb sweeping festival, when the nation remembers its dead.

The United States and Japan say the launch is really a test of a ballistic missile which could theoretically reach US territory in Alaska or Hawaii.

Veterans who gathered Saturday at the "Cemetery of the Martyrs in the War to Resist America and Aid Korea" in this city on the North Korean border discussed the launch as they swapped bitter memories of a conflict that left up to 310,000 Chinese soldiers dead or missing, according to some estimates.

Of particular concern was whether China would again come to North Korea's aid in the event of a conflict involving the United States.

"This question is hard to answer and can only be decided by the government. But whatever the decision, the Chinese people and military will never be afraid of war," said Fan, dressed in a white jacket, blue worker's trousers and a matching cap.

Tensions in the region have been high since North Korea tested a ballistic missile and detonated an atomic device in 2006.

Through six-nation talks including China, the United States, Japan, Russia and South Korea, North Korea has agreed to give up its nuclear programmes in exchange for diplomatic incentives plus food and energy aid.

But the talks have been stalled for months amid North Korean resistance to verification measures.

"I'm very concerned that North Korea will not back down and will not fulfil its agreement in the six-party talks," said a short, bespectacled 77-year-old former air force veteran who refused to give his name.

"We are supposed to be living in a time where peace is the dominant theme of the world, but the United States with its war on Iraq is going against the trend of the times."

"This is what North Korea is afraid of," he said, walking a row of graves and nervously reciting the regiments marked on the tombstones of his fallen comrades.

Dandong is dotted with monuments to the bloody conflict, including a museum and two partially destroyed bridges over the Yalu river that were bombed by American planes but are now tourist sites.

Many residents fought on the battlefield or have parents or relatives with vivid memories of a conflict that ended in a stalemate which has left North and South Korea divided.

"It's been over 50 years since the war ended, so it is very hard to imagine that we would again go to war to aid North Korea," another veteran named Xu, 78, said while grasping a cane for support.

He peered out of a thick pair of glasses at one of the bombed-out bridges.

"Unfortunately one thing is certain, our friendship with North Korea goes back through several generations of leaders. If North Korea gets into trouble again, I am afraid that China cannot help but help them."

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