China is ready to join efforts with relevant parties to push for an early start of the six-sided talks on the nuclear issue of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said in Beijing Monday.

In response to a question, spokesman Kong Quan said the Chinese side welcomes the DPRK's announcement that the six-party talks will be held in Beijing.

Kong said China attaches importance to the peace and stability of the neighboring Korean Peninsula. China has always taken the position that the nuclear issue should be settled peacefully through dialogue and has made many effective efforts to that end, he said.

To start a new round of Beijing talks and put the DPRK nuclear issue onto a path toward peaceful resolution, China and relevant countries have, for a period of time, made in-depth contacts at high levels, and have gradually reached important consensus, Kong said.

Kong said China supports expanding the range of participants of Beijing talks and welcomes the DPRK's announcement that the six-sided talks would be held in Beijing.

As host, China is willing to keep up consultations with relevant parties and join efforts to push for an early start of the six-party talks, Kong said.

China has always been open on the range of participants of the talks, Kong said. Since the Republic of Korea (ROK), Russia and Japan all actively stand for resolving the issue through dialogue, Kong said he believed their participation will help promote a peaceful settlement.

On the form of the talks, Kong said both the DPRK and the United States stand for a peaceful settlement, and China has held in-depth discussions and communications with the two countries respectively on the reopening of Beijing talks. Both countries have put forward many important ideas and opinions on the talks, which have been beneficial for making the dialogues a reality, Kong added.

(Xinhua News Agency August 5, 2003)