Australia, China holds talks on N Korea

The critical threat of North Korea and its nuclear program was on the agenda for talks between Malcolm Turnbull and Li Keqiang.

Malcolm Turnbull has welcomed China's decision to freeze North Korean coal imports in line with United Nations Security Council resolutions.

Mr Turnbull and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met in Canberra on Friday to discuss the "critical threat" posed by North Korea and the need for it to curtail its nuclear program.

"The Premier and I discussed regional security issues, and the importance of maintaining the international rules-based order that has been so important for peace in our region," Mr Turnbull told reporters.