President tells Moon he backs DPRK talks

China supports the efforts of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea to push for dialogue and communication for the resolution of the Korean Peninsula issue, President Xi Jinping said on Thursday.

China has always supported moves by the DPRK and ROK to improve relations, Xi told his ROK counterpart, Moon Jae-in, in a phone call.

The Korean Peninsula situation is facing both challenges and opportunities, Xi said, adding that it is hoped the ROK-hosted Pyeongchang Winter Olympics brings opportunities for DPRK-ROK dialogue and will become a starting place for improvement on the Korean Peninsula issue.