An opening ceremony for the third round of six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue will be held at 3:00 p.m. Wednesday at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in downtown Beijing, sources with the press office of the talks said Tuesday.

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who heads the Chinese delegation to the talks, will host a welcoming reception later Wednesday at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse.

The press office of the talks was set up on the first floor of the Diaoyutai Hotel, close to the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse.

The third round of six-party talks, involving China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the United States, the Republic of Korea (ROK), Russia and Japan, will be held from June 23 to 26.

The delegation heads of the DPRK, Russia and the ROK have arrived in Beijing, and heads of the delegations of the United States and Japan are expected to arrive later Tuesday.

(Xinhua News Agency June 22, 2004)