Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed the situation in North Korea and Syria with US President Donald Trump in a telephone call on Wednesday, CNN quoted China's foreign ministry as saying.

Trump has repeatedly called on China to do more to rein in its unruly neighbor, which has stepped up its missile development and nuclear program since 2016.

The US has sent an aircraft carrier strike group to the region after the latest missile test by North Korea last week, drawing a forceful warning from Pyongyang.

According to a statement from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Xi reiterated that China wants a denuclearized Korean peninsula and called for peace and stability.

"China advocates to resolve the issue through peaceful means, and is willing to maintain communication and coordination with the US on the Korean Peninsula issue," the statement quoted Xi as saying.

On Syria, Xi said: "Any use of chemical weapons is unacceptable. We should adhere to the direction of resolving the issue through political means. 

Maintaining unity within the UN Security Council is very important to resolve the Syria issue and I hope the UNSC will speak with one voice," he added.

Source: MENA