North Korea's vice foreign minister has arrived in China for a visit amid international efforts to persuade Pyongyang to rejoin six-nation nuclear disarmament talks, officials here said Tuesday.
Kim Yong-Il was scheduled to meet Chinese foreign ministry officials as part of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries, ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu told reporters.
"The two sides will exchange views on bilateral relations as well as other major issues of common interest," she said, without giving any further details.
The North quit the six-nation forum in protest at the UN Security Council's decision to censure its April 5 long-range rocket launch.
The following month it staged its second nuclear test, incurring international anger and tougher UN sanctions supported even by its ally China.
China's chief nuclear negotiator paid a five-day visit to North Korea last month — a mission reportedly focused on bringing Pyongyang back to the on-off talks hosted by Beijing.
Jiang would not comment on the specifics of Kim's visit, but stressed the necessity of solving the North Korean nuclear issue through "dialogue and consultation."
"Recently the situation in Northeast Asia has been less tense and we hope that relevant parties can seize this opportunity… and play a constructive role for realising the denuclearisation on the peninsula," she said.
The US point man on North Korea, Stephen Bosworth, is due to tour the region this month to discuss how to restart the stalled dialogue. The State Department said Monday that Pyongyang was not on his itinerary.
South Korean media have said Bosworth and his team would probably visit South Korea, China and Japan in early September.
North Korea wants bilateral discussions with Washington on ending the nuclear standoff. The US says such talks must be held within the six-nation framework, which also groups China, South Korea, Japan and Russia.
After months of rising tensions, the North has made a recent series of peace overtures in what some analysts see as an attempt to undermine international efforts to enforce the sanctions.
In early August, when former US president Bill Clinton visited Pyongyang, leader Kim Jong-Il pardoned two American journalists sentenced to long jail terms for illegal entry.
The North has since set free five detained South Koreans, lifted border restrictions on its neighbour and agreed to allow more reunions for families divided since the 1950-1953 Korean War.
It also sent envoys to Seoul for talks with President Lee Myung-Bak on improving relations.
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