Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing exchanged views with US Secretary of State Colin Powell over telephone Sunday morning on the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) nuclear issue.

Li expressed the hope to Powell that six-party talks on the DPRK nuclear program would continue.

Li emphasized his desire to Powell that multi-party talks reconvene as soon as possible.

Li and Powell hope "the momentum of the Beijing six-party talks will continue."

China and the United States are two of six nations trying to resolve the nuclear dispute between Washington and Pyongyang, which erupted in October 2002 when the US said the DPRK had admitted having a secret nuclear program. The other countries are the DPRK, Russia, Japan and South Korea.

Six-party talks in August produced no concrete results, and China is vocally advocating new talks, although no date has been set. The DPRK has said it wants Japan barred from future summits.

(Source: China Daily October 13, 2003)