Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Beijing Tuesday with the top U.S. military general as Washington steps up efforts to get Beijing's support in trying to prevent North Korea from taking further provocative steps and to put it back on a denuclearization course.

In talks with U.S. Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Xi called for deeper mutual trust between the global powers, according to China's official Xinhua News Agency.

In Washington, the U.S. government said Dempsey's meetings with Xi and top Chinese military officials focused on North Korea.

The meetings were part of an "intensive dialogue" about how the two sides "can get the North Koreans to not only change their position but work toward a denuclearized North Korea," said Patrick Ventrell, the State Department's deputy spokesman, while briefing reporters.

After holding talks with his Chinese counterpart, Gen. Fang Fenhui, earlier in the day, Dempsey said,“My theme (on this visit) is quite simple, actually: A stable and prosperous region is in everyone's best interest.”

Fenhui raised the possibility of another North Korean nuclear test, saying Beijing's position is that the Korean Peninsula should be free or nuclear weapons.

"We are thoroughly opposed to the nuclear test conducted by the (North Korean government),”he said, according to a transcript released by the Pentagon.“We support the U.N. Security Council in appropriate and reasonable sanctions against North Korea.”

On his trip to Washington, meanwhile, Wu Dawei, China's special representative for Korean Peninsula issues, had meetings with senior U.S. officials, including Glyn Davies, U.S. special representative for North Korea policy, and Robert King, special envoy for North Korean human rights issues.

"He's had a productive set of discussions so far," Ventrell said.

Wu was also to meet Wendy Sherman, under secretary of state for political affairs, Joseph Yun, acting assistant secretary of state for East Asia and Pacific affairs, and Daniel Russel, senior director for Asia at the White House. (Yonhap News)