China has called on all parties to take a "flexible and pragmatic approach" and work towards an early restart of the Six-Party Talks.

Vice-Foreign Minister Wu Dawei, US Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill, and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Vice-Foreign Minister Kim Kye-gwan met after Kim arrived yesterday from Pyongyang, according to Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu yesterday.

She told a regular news briefing that the talks, which included bilateral and trilateral meetings, were ongoing and did not give any details.

"We hope all sides can grasp this opportunity and take a flexible, pragmatic, and constructive approach in order to realize the early resumption of the Six-Party Talks," Jiang said.

Late yesterday evening, Hill and Kim did not speak to the media as they separately left the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse where the meetings were held.

Jiang said that Wu also met top negotiators from Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) on Monday.

Japanese chief negotiator Kenichiro Sasae and the ROK's top negotiator Chun Yung-woo arrived in Beijing on Sunday evening and Monday morning.

But "until now there's no information whether the top Russian negotiator would come," Jiang said.

Officials have yet to set a date for the next round of negotiations; and Kim said the timing "depends on the United States."

"There are too many outstanding issues" and both parties should narrow their differences, Kim told reporters on arrival at Beijing airport.

"I said on October 31 that we can enter the talks at any time," he said. "I said that because we can do that from a dignified position as we have taken defensive measures through our nuclear test to counter sanctions and pressure against us."

An unannounced meeting between Hill and Kim last month in Beijing led to Pyongyang agreeing to return to the arms negotiations amid heightened tensions after its nuclear test on October 9.

"The issue for us is to make sure we are extremely well-planned and ready for the Six-Party Talks, which we do anticipate will get going at some point very soon," Hill said when he arrived on Monday.

Jiang yesterday reiterated China's consistent and firm position on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, saying Beijing resolutely opposes proliferation of nuclear weapons.

Source: China Daily