BEIJING, Jan. 8 (Xinhuanet) -- 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.