State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan said Thursday that China will push for an early resumption of the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.  

"China insists on seeking a peaceful solution of the issue through dialogue and we appreciate South Korea's contribution to that goal," Tang told visiting South Korean Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing.

China supports the improvement of North-South relations on the Korean Peninsula and China will, along with all concerned parties, push for an early resumption of the six-party talks, he said.

The six-party talks involve China, the US, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, South Korea, Russia and Japan. Three rounds of talks were held in Beijing through 2003 but talks were stalled after the last round in 2004.

Lee, who is here for a three-day visit, said that South Korea and China share common opinions and a stance on the nuclear issue. He spoke highly of China's role in the talks and vowed to exert joint efforts with concerned parties for an early revival of talks.

The two sides also exchanged views on the reform of the UN. They agreed that the UN reform should be comprehensive and variegated and it should place the emphasis on maintaining the UN's authority, improving its efficiency and supporting developing countries, according to diplomatic sources.

UN reform should place top priority on widening the representativeness of developing countries and seeking the broadest consensus on related proposals, they said.

China is South Korea's largest trade partner while South Korea is China's fourth largest. The bilateral trade value is expected to exceed US$100 billion in 2005 after it hit US$90 billion in 2004.

(Xinhua News Agency June 24, 2005)