South Korean President Lee Jae-myung said on Wednesday that significant progress has been made in restoring trust with Beijing, and he requested that Chinese President Xi Jinping play a mediating role to support Seoul’s efforts to hold talks with North Korea.

Lee, who held talks with Xi earlier this week, added that the Chinese leader emphasized the need for patience in dealing with North Korea’s nuclear-armed program. The remarks were made during a briefing to South Korean media in Shanghai.