The leaders of China and Japan held their first face-to-face talks in three years on Thursday, after North Korea fired the latest in a record missile blitz that has sent nuclear fears soaring.

President Xi Jinping flew in to the talks in Bangkok from a G20 meeting in Bali where US President Joe Biden pressed him to use his influence to rein in Pyongyang's activities.

North Korea fired a short-range ballistic missile as Xi and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida prepared to meet, and warned Washington and its allies to expect a "fiercer" military response.

The pair met on the sidelines of a summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) forum focused on pandemic recovery and the global economic turmoil unleashed by the war in Ukraine.

"It is important that we accelerate the building of a Japan-China relationship that is constructive and stable, through the efforts of both sides," Kishida said at the start of the meeting.

His office had earlier condemned the latest launch by North Korea, which adds to a flurry that began this month and has included an intercontinental ballistic missile. Seoul and Washington have warned the North could be preparing to carry out a nuclear test, which would be its seventh.

Kishida said after the meeting that he also conveyed concerns to Xi over peace in the Taiwan Strait.

Xi last held face-to-face talks with a Japanese prime minister in December 2019, when he met Shinzo Abe in Beijing, although he has spoken to Kishida by phone.

In written remarks to an Apec business summit on Thursday, Xi laid out a vision of economic cooperation for the Pacific rim, urging more open trade, closer cooperation and smooth supply chains.

"The Asia Pacific is no-one's backyard and should not become an arena for big power contest," he said in the remarks in English.

"No attempt to wage a new Cold War will ever be allowed by the people or by our times." (AFP and agencies)