Beijing has long campaigned for a "dual track approach" in which the United States would halt military drills in the region while North Korea would freeze its weapons programmes.

But Trump suggested Wednesday following his five-nation trip to Asia, which included meetings with President Xi Jinping in Beijing, that the Chinese leader had ditched the plan.

"President Xi recognises that a nuclear North Korea is a grave threat to China," Trump said. "And we agreed that we would not accept a so-called 'freeze for freeze' agreement like those that have consistently failed in the past."

But Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Beijing's position on the nuclear issue remained "consistent and clear-cut".

"We think that under the current circumstances, the suspension for suspension initiative is the most realistic, feasible, fair and reasonable plan," Geng told a news briefing when asked about Trump's comment.

"It can not only ease the current tense situation, but also solve the most pressing security concerns for all parties, provide opportunities and create conditions for resuming peace talks and find breakthrough to get out of the stalemate," he said.

"We hope all relevant parties can have a earnest approach and give a positive consideration to the good faith of the Chinese side," Geng said, adding that using military force was "not an option" to resolve the crisis.

Trump says Chinese envoy to N. Korea 'a big move'
Washington (AFP) Nov 16, 2017 - US President Donald Trump on Thursday praised China's decision to send a special envoy to its wayward ally North Korea days after he had pressed Beijing to do more to curb Pyongyang's nuclear threats.

"China is sending an Envoy and Delegation to North Korea - A big move, we'll see what happens!" he tweeted.

China's foreign ministry on Wednesday announced President Xi Jinping's special envoy, Song Tao, will travel to Pyongyang this week to brief officials about last month's Chinese Communist Party congress and "other issues of mutual concern."

Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang did not say whether the nuclear issue would be discussed but he said China was "committed to the denuclearization of the peninsula, safeguarding peace and stability of the peninsula, and resolving the issue through dialogue and consultation."

Pressed for details Thursday, Geng re-affirmed the two nations' close ties in a statement that appeared to downplay the suggestion of a tough approach.

"China and DPRK (the Democratic People's Republic of Korea) are close neighbors," he said.

"Developing friendly cooperation relations between the two countries serves the common interests of the two countries and is conducive to regional peace, stability and development," he added.

Trump has called on the region to take a united stance against the threat posed by isolated North Korea, which has sparked global alarm with its nuclear and missile tests in recent months.

China has backed a series of United Nations sanctions on Pyongyang and imposed banking restrictions on North Koreans, putting the Cold War-era allies at odds.

Song will be the first Chinese envoy to make an official trip to North Korea since October 2016, when vice foreign minister Liu Zhenmin visited. Xi has never met Kim.