Long-stalled six-nation talks on North Korea's nuclear weapons program should be resumed at an early date, a senior Chinese diplomat said Wednesday, amid few signs that Pyongyang will drop its nuclear ambition. 

Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Jianchao also repeated his country's long-held stance that North Korea's nuclear issue must be resolved through dialogue. 

The six-party talks, involving South Korea, North Korea, the United States, China, Russia and Japan, were last held in December 2008. North Korea has conducted two more nuclear tests since then.

China "supports resolving regional hotspot issues, including the North Korean nuclear issue, through dialogue and negotiations,"

Liu said at a security forum. 

Nations involved in the six-party talks "should swiftly resume dialogue and negotiations and actively play a constructive role to safeguard peace and stability in Northeast Asia," Liu said. 

Liu said North Korea has carried out "new measures" to develop its moribund economy and improve the livelihoods of its people but did not elaborate what the measures are. 

North Korea wants an unconditional resumption of the six-party talks, but South Korea and the U.S. demand that Pyongyang first take concrete steps to show its denuclearization commitment.

Meanwhile, senior military officials from South and North Korea held talks on Wednesday, following recent military incidents on their borders, Seoul officials said. (Yonhap)