Chinese and US leaders will discuss "extensive topics" during US Vice President Dick Cheney's China visit, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan Tuesday in Beijing.

Kong told a regular press conference in the afternoon that Cheney's visit, the first since he assumed the US vice presidency, constituted an important component part of the high-level visits between China and the United States in recent years.

The leaders of both countries will avail themselves of the opportunity to have an extensive, in-depth exchange of views on all issues of common concern, including those on which the two countries have differences and disagreements, such as the Taiwan issue.

Kong reiterated that the Taiwan issue remained "the most sensitive and essential" problem in Sino-US relations. "China will reaffirm its stance on Taiwan and others issues," he said.

The Iraqi issue could, among others, also be on the table for talks.

"Chinese leaders will once again restate China's stance on the Iraqi issue -- to properly resolve the issue within the framework of the United Nations," he said.

According to Kong, China and the United States could also discuss the six-party talks on the Korean nuclear issue and the start-up of its working group.

China holds that the startup of the working group is one of the consensus reached by all the six parties during the second round of the talks, he said, and such a move is "a must" to continue the peaceful talks on the issue.

China has kept close contacts with the other five parties, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the United States, the Republic of Korea (ROK), Russia and Japan, and proposed its own conceptual document, which has gained the consensus in principle of the rest, he said.

All sides hold different views and opinions on the topics and operation of the working group, Kong acknowledged, adding that China will make further efforts for gearing up the working group at an early date.

Vice President Cheney arrived here Tuesday afternoon, kicking off his three-day working visit to China. Beijing is the first leg of Cheney's China tour and he is also expected to travel to Shanghai after his stay in Beijing.

Source: Xinhua