China's Vice Foreign Minister Wang Yi has held talks with officials from the Republic of Korea (ROK) on?Saturday. The meeting came ahead of crucial six-nation talks aimed at resolving the standoff over the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's nuclear weapons programme.

Heading into talks with Deputy Foreign Minister Lee Soo-hyuch in Seoul, Wang said China hopes that joint efforts could secure concrete results at the second round of meetings.

"I expect the ROK will play a constructive and active role in resolving the nuclear issue peacefully, not only for its national interest but also for security and peace in the region", he?said.?

Lee agreed, and was optimistic about the upcoming six-party talks, which are due to begin on February 25.

Lee?said: "I expect today's discussion between ROK and China will become a footstone for the success of the second round of the six-nation talks."

Pyongyang has offered to freeze all its nuclear activities as a first step to resolving the nuclear dispute. But it also demands Washington provides free oil shipments, lifts economic sanctions and removes the DPRK from its list of countries that sponsor terrorism.

The DPRK, the ROK, China, the US, Russia and Japan met for talks late last August in Beijing. But that first round ended without much progress.

(CCTV February 15, 2004)