Both China and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) want a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan Tuesday at a regular press conference.

Kong made the remark when commenting on Chinese senior official Wang Jiarui's visit to the DPRK, which began Saturday. Kim Jong-il, the DPRK's top leader, met with Wang, head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, on Monday.

During the meeting, Wang conveyed Chinese President Hu Jintao's oral message to Kim. Hu, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, expressed his desire to enhance China-DPRK relations and reiterated China's stance and concern on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, Kong said.

"The DPRK never opposes the six-party talks, let alone withdrew from the talks, and if the conditions for the fourth round of the six-party talks are met, the DPRK will return to the negotiating table at any time," Kong quoted Kim as saying.

"The six parties' consensus on a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula made the previous six-party talks possible," Kong said. "The Korean Peninsula nuclear issue should be solved through peaceful dialogue, and the DPRK's reasonable concerns should be handled properly," he said.

Kong also expressed the hope that "various parties" would "seriously consider the DPRK's relevant requests and proposals" and be "sincere and flexible" enough to make constructive effort to restart the six-party talks.