The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) will join the six-party talks on the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula "at any time" provided conditions are right, DPRK Premier Pak Bong Ju said on Tuesday.

During talks with his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao, Pak said that the DPRK does not oppose to the six-party talks, neither will abandon it. "Provided conditions are right, the DPRK will join the talks at any time," he said.

Wen told Pak that the six-party talks offered "a realistic choice" to peacefully resolve the Korean nuclear issue through dialogue. "The talks are in the interests of all parties so it should continue."

Wen urged all sides to show flexibility, sincerity and patience.

Proceeding from objective and fair stance, China will continue to actively promote the talks and make unremitting efforts for the realization of a lasting peace in northeast Asia, Wen said.

The nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula is a matter related with peace and security in northeast Asia. China advocates a nuclear-weapon-free peninsula and the maintenance of peace and stability on the peninsula, he said.

To that end, "China is committed to resolving the issue through the six-party talks," he told Pak.

Pak said the DPRK's stand on the realization of a nuclear-weapon-free Korean Peninsula and on the settlement of the nuclear issue through dialogue and by peaceful means "remains unchanged".

The DPRK appreciates China's efforts for realizing a nuclear-weapon-free Korean Peninsula, Pak said.

The six-party talks, already held three rounds in Beijing, involved China, the DPRK, the United States, Russia, the Republic of Korea and Japan.

On China-DPRK ties, Wen and Pak both vowed to further the countries' "friendly cooperative ties," including economic cooperation and coordination on major issues, during talks here on Tuesday.

Relations between China and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) have seen "sound progress" with the direct care from the two countries' leaders, Wen told Pak in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

China and DPRK "maintained frequent high-level exchange, expanded economic and trade cooperation along with increasingly active exchanges in other fields," Wen said.

"In a spirit of inheriting tradition, facing the future, continuing good neighborliness and enhancing cooperation, China will further implement the consensus reached by the two countries' leaders, enhance communication and coordination on major issues and deepen economic and trade cooperation to push forward the friendly and cooperation ties between them," Wen said.

Pak said the DPRK-China relations were growing soundly and cooperation in all fields vigorous, which served as a vital basis for their future cooperation.

The Chinese government and people offered sincere help for promoting DPRK's economic progress and for improving the people's living standard in terms of both spirit and material, Pak said. He said the DPRK people "were encouraged by and appreciated" that.

"To continuously consolidate and develop the friendly ties between DPRK and China" is the "unswerving policy" of the DPRK, he said, adding that the DPRK hoped the friendly ties would gain "much more progress" in the new century.

Pak was here for his first official visit to China as DPRK premier. He is scheduled to visit Shanghai in east China and Shenyang and Anshan in northeast China after his visit in Beijing.