China’s Xinhua News says North Korean leader Kim Jong-il expressed hope for the swift resumption of the six-way nuclear talks when he met with Chinese President Hu Jintao last week.

According to the report Tuesday, Kim told Hu during their meeting Friday that he hopes the nuclear negotiations will reopen promptly with close cooperation between Pyongyang and Beijing. He added that North Korea remains committed to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and does not want to see tensions rising in the region but instead wants to guard peace and security on the peninsula.

In response, Hu said China respects and supports North Korea’s active efforts to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula and to improve its external conditions.

Hu said the six-nation talks must get back on track soon in order to alleviate tensions in the region.