Despite complicated factors known to all, China remains optimistic about the fourth round of six-party talks and would like to make concerted efforts with all relevant parties to ensure the meetings to be held as early as possible.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan made this remark at a regular press conference in Beijing Tuesday.

China has done a great deal of persuasion and promotion work, Kong said. However, he noted, there are still a lot of difficulties for the holding of the fourth round of the six-party talks as scheduled before the end of September.

It was still too early to tell when the next round of six-party talks would be held; an exact schedule would hinges on all parties' efforts, Kong said.

The six-party talks, aiming at resolving the nuclear issue of the Korean Peninsula, involve the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the United States, the Republic of Korea, Japan, Russia and China.

During the third-round meeting in June this year, the six parties agreed to meet again before the end of September.

Source: Xinhua