On Wednesday Chinese President Hu Jintao's special Envoy, State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan, departed to begin his working visit to the United States (US) and then Russia, the Foreign Ministry has said.

Tang left for the US on Wednesday and following on from that he'll make a working visit to Russia, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Late on Monday Chinese President Hu Jintao had phone talks with US President George W. Bush. They exchanged views on bilateral ties and the nuclear test carried out by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

According to a report by the official Korean Central News Agency the DPRK conducted an underground nuclear test on October 9.

The Foreign Ministry issued a statement Monday, stating China was resolutely opposed to the nuclear test and demanded the DPRK live up to its commitment to non-nuclearization on the Korean Peninsula, stop any activity that may worsen the situation and return to the six-party talks.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao on Tuesday urged those concerned to remain calm and make efforts to resolve the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue within the framework of six-party talks.

(Xinhua News Agency October 12, 2006)