The specific date of the new round of six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue has yet to be decided, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao in Beijing Tuesday.

Liu told a regular press conference that China, as the hosting country, is keeping close consultation with relevant parties on the date and arrangement of the forthcoming talks as well as the possibility of a meeting among working groups before the talks.

He noted that Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan, as a special representative of Chinese President Hu Jintao, left here Tuesday morning on an official, goodwill visit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

During his stay, Tang will confer with DPRK officials on Sino-DPRK relations and other important issues of common concern, including the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, Liu added.

Tang will spend two days in Pyongyang and return on Thursday, the spokesman said.

He said that the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula is very complex issue and differences exist among the relevant parties.

"All the parties concerned should have enough patience and fully understand the complexity of the issue, so as to remit arduous efforts for the final solution to the issue," he said.

The DPRK announced on Saturday that it had agreed with the United States to hold the fourth round of the six-party talks in the week beginning July 25 after a secrete meeting between diplomats of the two countries in Beijing.

The announcement was welcomed by all the six parties including China, the DPRK, the United States, the Republic of Korea, Russia and Japan.

The first six-party talks were launched on Aug. 27, 2003 at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in downtown Beijing.

But after the third round of the talks, the DPRK decided to suspend participation, claiming the U.S.' policy of hostility.

Source: Xinhua