China welcomes the resumption of the ministerial talks between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said in Beijing Tuesday.

The north and south of the Korean Peninsula are major parties to the issue of the Korean Peninsula, and the peninsula issue should eventually be solved through dialogue and cooperation between the two sides, spokesman Zhu Bangzao said in response to a request for comment on the resumption of the inter-Korean ministerial talks.

China supports the positive efforts made by the north and south of the Korean Peninsula to push forward dialogue and ease the tension on the peninsula, and supports their efforts for the ultimate realization of independent peaceful reunification, the spokesman said.

(Xinhua News Agency 09/19/2001)