Chinese President Xi Jinping called for an early resumption of long-stalled multilateral talks aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear weapons program, China's foreign ministry said Wednesday, although the North is intent on keeping its nuclear ambitions. 

Xi made the call during a summit meeting with South Korean President Park Geun-hye earlier in the day, a statement posted by the Chinese ministry said. 

China "opposes any actions that may cause tensions" and all relevant parties should make efforts to resume the six-party talks, Xi said, according to the statement. 

Without mentioning North Korea by name, Xi said, "The relevant parties should adhere to the goal of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, work for the early resumption of the six-party talks and make efforts on achieving positive progress."

The remarks by Xi reaffirmed China's long-standing view on North Korea's nuclear issue. 

South Korea has asked China to exercise more leverage in getting North Korea to change its course on its nuclear weapons program and return to the negotiating table. But North Korea has shown no signs of giving up its nuclear ambitions.

China is North Korea's economic lifeline, but it has been reluctant to use leverage over the ally because it could lead to the North's collapse and instability on its border. 

The six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear program, involving the two Koreas, the United States, China, Russia and Japan, have been stalled since late 2008. 

Diplomatic efforts to revive the multilateral talks have produced no results so far. North Korea conducted its third and most powerful nuclear test in 2013. (Yonhap)