China on Tuesday backed calls by North Korea for an early resumption of six-party denuclearisation talks, saying it was "in the common interests" of all the countries involved.

Pyongyang -- which abandoned the negotiations in April 2009 and a month later carried out its second atomic weapons test -- said Monday it wanted "to resume the six-party talks without preconditions at an early date".

The remarks by a spokesman for the North's foreign ministry came after a senior official from the isolated communist state visited New York last week for talks with US special envoy on North Korea Stephen Bosworth.

"We hope relevant parties seize the opportunity to walk towards each other and work together to create conditions for the early resumption of six-party talks," China's foreign ministry said in a statement.

"To resume six-party talks as soon as possible is in line with the common interests of all parties concerned."

China is the North's sole major ally and a crucial prop for its ailing economy, especially after South Korea severed most ties with Pyongyang last year, accusing it of torpedoing one of its warships and killing 46 sailors.

The six-party forum involves the two Koreas, China, the United States, Russia and Japan.

The United States has been pressuring China to persuade North Korea to return to the negotiating table and not take further "provocative action".

In November, North Korea launched an artillery and rocket attack on Yeonpyeong island near the tense border with South Korea, which killed two Marines and two civilians.

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