A diplomatic source in China says North Korea's chief delegate to the six-way nuclear negotiations is in Beijing to hold clandestine talks on reviving the stalled dialogue.

According to the source Sunday, the North's Deputy Foreign Minister Kim Gye-kwan arrived in Beijing on Saturday accompanied by five other officials and held a series of discussions with top Chinese officials, including China's chief negotiator to the talks, Wu Dawei.

Kim reportedly asked China to play a leading role in creating a favorable atmosphere for the North to return to the negotiating table, stressing that Pyongyang has not given up on the multilateral discussions.

Chinese officials, in response, were quoted as urging Pyongyang to promptly come back to the bargaining table.

Some experts say that during talks with Chinese officials, Kim may have presented new ideas on the North's potential return to the six-nation nuclear talks.