The chief nuclear envoys of South Korea and China have sat down together in Beijing to discuss the current political situation on the Korean Peninsula.

South Korea’s top nuclear negotiator Lim Sung-nam and his Chinese counterpart Wu Dawei discussed ways to ease mounting tensions between South and North Korea in a meeting at China’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday.

The two chief nuclear envoys shared the view that the two Koreas, the U.S. and China should more actively work to create a favorable atmosphere for inter-Korean dialogue. The agreement came as South Korea and the U.S. recently ended their joint military drill, which was used by North Korea as an excuse for its provocations and harsh rhetoric.

South Korea and China also reconfirmed the principle of creating a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula while agreeing that North Korea must follow through with denuclearization efforts before talks can resume.

The South Korean chief nuclear envoy also emphasized China’s influence and role in persuading North Korea to change its position.