Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing and visiting US Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice held talks in Beijing this morning at the
Diaoyutai State Guesthouse.
"We hope all relevant parties will keep cool-headed, adopt a
prudent and responsible attitude and adhere to dialogue," Li told
reporters following his one-hour talks with Rice.
"China would like to work more closely with relevant parties to
break the stalemate and resume the stalled six-party talks," Li said.
Rice said that the nuclear test announcement of North Korea was
"a serious provocation" and it "poses threat" to international
peace and security.
"We talked about the importance of the full implementation of
(UN resolution) 1718 so we can make certain there is not a transit
and trade in dangerous illegal materials concerning the nuclear
program of North Korea," Rice said, adding that it is important to
leave six-party talks negotiation open.
"Chinese President Hu Jintao and US President George W. Bush are
committed to diplomatic solution of this problem. North Korea
should return to the six-party talks without condition," said Rice,
adding North Korea should begin the implementation of the September
2005 agreement of the six-party talks.
The two sides spoke positively of the current development of
China-US ties and their effective cooperation and consultations on
major international and regional issues, calling China and the US
strategic partners. The two sides should go on working for the
implementation of consensus reached by President Hu and President
Bush.
Stressing shared desire to continue strategic dialogues, Rice
said, "We have a lot of strategic dialogues on the way and we
commit to continue our discussions."
Li and Rice also discussed the Iran nuclear issue and the Darfur
crisis in Sudan, reaffirming China's constructive role in resolving
the Iranian issue through negotiations.
During her stay, Rice will meet with President Hu, Premier Wen Jiabao and State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan. Her visit to China came as the US
seeks to shore up international tension arising from North Korea's
nuclear test on October 9.
China is the third leg of Rice's four-nation tour, which has
taken her to Japan and South Korea and will later take her to
Russia.
(Xinhua News Agency October 20, 2006)