China on Thursday confirmed that its diplomats and diplomats from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) met to discuss how to move forward the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsular nuclear issue.

"Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei on Wednesday met with Ri Gun, director general of the DPRK Foreign Ministry's American affairs bureau, on the current situation and the next phase of the six-party talks," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told the regular briefing.

The meeting came as Ri stopped over in Beijing after his attendance at a meeting in New York hosted by a private policy group.

During his stay in New York, Ri held talks with U.S. top nuclear negotiator Christopher Hill as well as Sung Kim, the U.S. Department of State's Korean bureau chief.

"The six-party talks remain in the second phase. We expect all parties to make joint efforts to make progress," Qin said.

The spokesman stressed that China will continue to play its constructive part in the talks, which started in 2003 and also include the Republic of Korea (ROK), Russia and Japan.

Qin said China was discussing with the other parties on when the heads of the six delegations would meet.

(Xinhua News Agency November 14, 2008)