China pushes for quick return to six-party talks on Korean nuclear issue

China is striving for an early resumption of six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said on Thursday.

Liu said the key obstacle is the difference between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the United States on the financial issues concerning the DPRK.

He declined to elaborate the financial issues, but asked the concerned sides to take a flexible and pragmatic attitude to remove the barrier. The talks involve China, the DPRK, the United States, the Republic of Korea, Russia and Japan.

Both China and the United States agreed to solve the nuclear issue through dialogue via the six-party talks, to realize a nuclear-weapons free Korean Peninsula and maintain peace and stability, he said.

The multi-lateral talks began in 2003. The first phase of the fifth round was held in Beijing last November, but the date for the next phase is still unknown.

Source: Xinhua