United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will visit to China March 20 and 21 as guest of Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, announced Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan Thursday.

During her first China tour since becoming the top US diplomat in January, Rice will exchange views with Chinese leaders and Li on bilateral ties and issues of common concern, according to Kong at a regular press conference.

The six-party talks about the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue will be discussed by Rice and Chinese officials, Kong noted.

Kong said the six-party talks has met difficulties and that he hoped "all concerned parties" would work to restart the talks.

Kong said he hoped China and the United States would increase mutual understanding, expand consensus and reduce disputes, in a bid to push forward the China-US strategic partnership.

China is the last leg of Rice's Asia trip. Beginning on March 14 she will travel to India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Japan and the Republic of Korea. Rice will review with concerned parties US diplomatic efforts to convene the next round of six-party talks, according to US State Department spokesman.

Kong also briefed the press on Chinese Ambassador to Korean Peninsula Affairs Ning Fukui's ongoing US trip. Ning left here Tuesday for the United States to consult with US officials about the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.

Kong said Ning will meet with Michael Green, US National Security Council's senior director for Asia, Joseph R. DeTrani, a US State Department special envoy for Korean affairs, and Christopher Hill, US top nuclear negotiator to exchange views on how to resume six-party talks at an early date.

Three rounds of the six-party talks, which involved China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the United States, the Republic of Korea, Russia and Japan, have been held in Beijing since August 2003, serving as a channel for all concerned parties to solve the nuclear issue through dialogue and cooperation.