BEIJING (REUTERS) - China's State Councillor Wang Yi called for stronger communication and coordination from all parties to resolve tensions on the Korean peninsula when he spoke to South Korea's new foreign minister on Tuesday (Feb 15), China's foreign ministry said.

Mr Wang, who is also China's foreign minister, told South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong in the phone call that Beijing had always appreciated South Korea's "unique role" in Korean peninsula affairs and urged extra efforts to achieve denuclearisation and lasting peace, the ministry statement said.

Mr Chung, who took office a week ago, last Friday held his first phone call with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken amid stalled talks between Washington and Pyongyang aimed at making North Korea give up its nuclear weapons.

He told Mr Wang that Seoul was willing to continue to play a constructive role in promoting the resumption of peace talks, firmly supported Beijing in hosting the Winter Olympics in 2022 and was willing to deepen regional cooperation in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, China's foreign ministry said.

South Korea hosted the last Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang in 2018.