China's foreign minister says the U.S.-North Korea summit in Vietnam last week was an "important step" toward denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Friday during an annual meeting of China's ceremonial legislature that the talks between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un were "worthy of full recognition."

He encouraged the two countries to "remain patient," and noted that many issues concerning the peninsula "cannot be solved overnight."

Trump and Kim's summit ended abruptly last Thursday after a dispute over how much sanctions relief Washington should provide Pyongyang in return for nuclear disarmament steps. No agreement was reached.

China is North Korea's only major ally, but has agreed to strict United Nations sanctions over the North's nuclear programs.