United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on July 10 that China has been playing a "very active" role in relaunching the six-party talks, which she considered "an important first step" to settle the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue and realize a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula.

Rice made the remarks at a press conference held by the US embassy in Beijing after her separate talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao and her Chinese counterpart Li Zhaoxing Sunday morning.

"There have been tremendous flurry of diplomatic activities from all the parties of the six-party talks," Rice said, adding that there were efforts of the United States, Russia, the Republic of Korea and especially China.

"I think Chinese have played a very active role to show North Korea what path ahead might look like," Rice said.

While considering it "a very good thing" to come back to the talks in the week of July 25, Rice noted that it is only a start.

"It is not the goal of the talks to have talks; it is the goal of the talks to have progress," she added.

Rice also reiterated that the US government recognizes the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) as a sovereign state, and that the United States "has no intention to invade or attack DPRK".

Korean Central News Agency said on Saturday night, hours following Rice's arrival in Beijing, that DPRK has agreed to return to the long stalled six-party talks in the week beginning on July 25 after a break of more than a year.

This is Rice's second trip to China in some three months. She will head for Thailand, the second-leg of her four-nation Asia tour, Sunday afternoon after talks with Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan. Her first China visit in the capacity of US secretary of state was made on March 20.

Source: Xinhua