U.S. Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg says that China agrees North Korea must demonstrate its will to denuclearize before the six-party nuclear talks can resume.

Steinberg spoke at a seminar on U.S.-China relations at the Woodrow Wilson Center. He said "there is simply little value in moving forward without some very concrete indication that the North Koreans are interested in implementing the 2005 statement," adding that China agrees with this view.

He called on Pyongyang to show its commitment to denuclearize before returning to the six-way talks.

Steinberg dismissed any disagreement with China on the matter saying that China realizes that given what's happened on a number of fronts including the sinking of a South Korean warship, the U.S. won't simply go back to talking.

Steinberg discussed ways to resume the six-way dialogue with Beijing's top nuclear envoy Wu Dawei earlier this month in Washington.