A U.S. delegation led by Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg arrived in Beijing on Friday morning to discuss North Korea's nuclear issue.

The U.S. Embassy in China said the delegates will meet on Friday with Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and China's chief nuclear envoy Wu Dawei.

A diplomatic source in Beijing said Steinberg will also meet the head of China's Communist Party International Department, Wang Jiarui. However, the source added that it is not known yet whether the U.S. envoy will pay a courtesy call to Chinese President Hu Jintao.

Steinberg is expected to meet with China's top officials to listen to their opinions on sanctions against North Korea and to discuss possible joint measures on the matter.

U.S. President Barack Obama reportedly called Hu on Wednesday to ask China's cooperation regarding sanctions on Pyongyang.