SEOUL, N Korea (AFP) -- The United States will work closely with China to try to bring North Korea back to nuclear disarmament talks, a senior US diplomat said yesterday, amid reports the North's leader may soon visit Beijing.

"We are closely in touch with China," Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell said during a visit to South Korea.

"We will ask them to assist us in efforts to strongly encourage North Korea to return expeditiously to the six-party talks."

Seoul's presidency said this week there was a "high level of possibility" the North's leader Kim Jong-Il would soon visit China, the reclusive regime's neighbour and closest economic and political partner.

Campbell said reports of the trip are "just a speculation at this juncture".

China declined on Thursday to confirm a visit that could revive the disarmament talks which it chairs, and which also group the two Koreas, Russia, Japan and the United States.

Campbell arrived yesterday from India for a two-day trip for talks with Vice Foreign Minister Shin Kak-Soo and chief nuclear negotiator Wi Sung-Lac.

"We are continuing close coordination and cooperation on diplomatic efforts to try to get North Korea to return to the six-party talks," he said.

Campbell said the United States and South Korea recognise "the importance of America-extended deterrence".

"We will remain very strongly committed to conservation of peace and stability here," he said.

Communist North Korea angrily quit the nuclear disarmament talks in April last year and vowed to restart production of weapons-grade plutonium. It carried out its second atomic weapons test the following month.

The North says it will not return to dialogue until United Nations sanctions are lifted and until the United States commits to holding talks on a formal peace treaty.