China hopes the six-party talks on the nuclear issue of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) will start at an early date and gain positive results, said a senior official with the Chinese Foreign Ministry in Beijing Sunday.

Vice-Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo said preparations for the talks were under way.

As a special envoy of the Chinese government, Dai visited Russia, the DPRK and the United States in July and consulted the related sides about the nuclear issue.

China, the DRPK and the United held talks in Beijing on April 23-25. The up-coming six-country talks will involve the DPRK, the United States, China, the Republic of Korea, Russia, and Japan.
 
(Xinhua News Agency August 11, 2003)