Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wang Yi traveled to Washington Thursday to prepare for a new round of six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.

Wang will meet US officials Friday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said at a regular briefing in Beijing Thursday.

Wang's visit to the United States comes just weeks after his trip to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) with a senior Chinese leader Wu Bangguo, head of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature.

During that trip, China and the DPRK agreed in principle to hold a second round of six-party talks on ending Pyongyang's suspected nuclear arms program.

Another vice foreign minister, Dai Bingguo, who has also been key in efforts to defuse the nuclear crisis, will visit the Republic of Korea (ROK) and Japan next week, according to the ministry.

"China stands ready to work with other countries to push for the next round of Beijing talks and make it a reality soon,'' said Zhang.

(Source: China Daily November 7, 2003)