Six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear program are to resume soon after a diplomatic breakthrough was reached at an informal meeting in Beijing between North Korea, China and the US. The talks stalled a year ago after Pyongyang pulled out in protest at US financial sanctions imposed upon it. North Korea alarmed the world by testing a nuclear weapon earlier this month, prompting the UN to impose financial and arms sanctions. China's foreign ministry said on its website that envoys from China, the US and North Korea had met on Tuesday and "had a candid and in-depth exchange of views on continuing efforts to advance the process of the six-party talks".