SEOUL, South Korea (AP) _ China wants the United States and North Korea to be more flexible so that deadlocked talks on the North's nuclear weapons program can be resumed, a Chinese official said Friday in Seoul.

"China hopes North Korea and the U.S. should show flexibility and take measures favorable to the reopening of the six-party talks," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao told South Korean reporters during a visit here, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported.

"For the resuscitation of the six-party talks, North Korea and the United States should take flexible, sincere and responsible stances," he said.

China hosts the six-nation arms talks that also include Japan, Russia and South Korea.

The negotiations haven't convened since November, with the North insisting that Washington lift financial restrictions imposed for alleged illegal activities including counterfeiting and money laundering. The U.S. has refused, saying the issue is unrelated to the nuclear standoff.

Tensions in the region have increased since the North test-launched seven missiles last month including a new long-range model that failed shortly after takeoff. The U.N. Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution condemning the North for the launches, but Pyongyang rejected it and said it had the right to conduct more launches.