China is working for an early  holding of the second round of six-party talks on the nuclear  issue in the Korean Peninsula, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman  Kong Quan said here Thursday at a press conference.

The international community places great importance on the  second round of the talks, and the parties involved all share the  belief that the second meeting is worth the efforts, Kong said,  adding the parties also hope to fix the consensus reached so far  in written form.

"Preparatory work in this field is well under way, and a good  foundation has been laid," he said.

The first round of six-party talks on the Korean nuclear issue  was held in Beijing in August 2003, with participants of China,  the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the United  States, the Republic of Korea (ROK), Russia and Japan.

Kong said the Chinese side has recently been in close  consultation with other parties, and they are all preparing for  the talks.

Although various sides still have different views toward the  talks, but the parties have enhanced understanding of each other's stance.

Kong noted that China stands ready for the second round talks,  and expects it to start at an early date.

He said China knows little of the true nuclear capacity or  plans of the DPRK, and it seems that other countries' such  knowledge is also scant.

According to the spokesman, Chinese foreign ministry's Asian  Affairs Department head Fu Ying visited the ROK recently and  exchanged views with both the ROK and Japanese sides on how to  resolve the nuclear issue.

As to the specific content of solution to the nuclear issue,  Kong said China hopes the parties concerned will settle the  problem through direct dialogue.

Kong said China stands for a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula and  a thorough solution to the issue.

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