China urges resumption of Korean peninsula denuclearization talks

BEIJING - China on Friday responded to an upcoming meeting between senior officials of the United States, Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) on the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, saying it hopes dialogue and contact can help promote an early resumption of the six-party talks.

The US State Department said on Thursday that Sung Kim, US special representative for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) policy, will have a trilateral meeting next Wednesday in Tokyo with his Japanese and ROK counterparts.

From Tokyo, Kim will head to Beijing and is scheduled to meet with senior Chinese government officials, including special representative for Korean Peninsula affairs Wu Dawei, said the department.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said it is in the common interests and responsibilities of concerned parties to forge ahead on the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and safeguard the peace and stability of the peninsula.

"Under the current situation, parties concerned should work together to return to the track of dialogue and consultation to create conditions for the resumption of the six-party talks," Hua told a daily press briefing.

When asked to confirm the visit to China by Kim, Hua said China has been maintaining close contacts with relevant parties of the six-party talks.

"We will release further information in due course," she said.

The US State Department on Wednesday rejected the latest DPRK proposal for an unconditional resumption of the six-party talks, which also involve Russia, reiterating a call for Pyongyang to abide by its past commitments.

Ri Yong Ho, the DPRK's six-party talks representative, met with Kim's predecessor, Stephen Bosworth, in Singapore early this week for two-day unofficial talks.

The six-party talks were initiated in Beijing in August 2003 but have been halted since December 2008.