The top U.S. envoy on North Korea says China has indicated it will continue to implement sanctions against Pyongyang.

The U.N. sanctions are intended to make North Korea abandon its nuclear programs. China is North Korea's economic lifeline.

The envoy, Glyn Davies, was in Beijing on Wednesday for meetings with his Chinese counterpart, Wu Dawei, and other officials.

He said they had "excellent and very useful" conversations on North Korea.

He told reporters that China is "seeking to convey messages to Pyongyang so that they understand the importance China attaches to denuclearization."

Last week, China's state-run Bank of China Ltd. said it had halted business with a North Korean bank. Davies called this a "significant step."

Davies heads to Tokyo on Thursday.