China hopes Russia will increase crude oil export to China by railways, said Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Kong Quan in Beijing Tuesday at a press conference.

"The China-Russia cooperation in the energy field benefits both sides," he said.

The Russian petroleum company Yukos has planned to reduce petroleum export to China for bank account and financial reasons, Kong said, noting the two countries had reached consensus on energy cooperation not long ago.

Both China and Russia hope their cooperation in energy and especially in petroleum will be expanded, Kong said, adding that China believes the Russian government will urge relevant company to make efforts to achieve the goal of enhancing cooperation in the field. 

When commenting on the fourth round of six-party talks, Kong said that despite complicated factors known to all, China remains optimistic about the fourth round of six-party talks and would like to make concerted efforts with all relevant parties to ensure the meetings to be held as early as possible.

China has done a great deal of persuasion and promotion work, Kong said. However, he noted, there are still a lot of difficulties for the holding of the fourth round of the six-party talks as scheduled before the end of September.

It was still too early to tell when the next round of six-party talks would be held; an exact schedule would hinges on all parties' efforts, Kong said. 

The six-party talks, aiming at resolving the nuclear issue of the Korean Peninsula, involve the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the United States, the Republic of Korea, Japan, Russia and China.

During the third-round meeting in June this year, the six parties agreed to meet again before the end of September. 

Also on Tuesday's press conference, Kong announced that Vice-President Jacob Zuma of the Republic of South Africa will pay an official visit to China from September 26 to 30 at the invitation of Chinese Vice President Zeng Qinghong,
 
At the invitation of Chinese President Hu Jintao, President of the Republic of Armenia Robert Sedrakovich Kocharyan will pay a state visit to China from September 26 to 30, Kong announced,

Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing will visit Barbados and the Cooperative Republic of Guyana from September 30 to October 4, Kong announced. Li was invited by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Barbados Billie Miller and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana Samuel Rudolph Insanally.

(Xinhua News Agency September 22, 2004)