President Hu Jintao said in Beijing Wednesday that dialogue is the only correct choice for peacefully resolving the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula.

Hu made the remarks when meeting with visiting Premier Pak Bong-ju of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

"It is in our common interests to stick to a nuclear-weapon-free Korean Peninsula, resolve DPRK's rational concerns, and maintain peace and stability on the peninsula," Hu said.

China will continue to work for the resumption of the six-party talks, which aim to find a peaceful solution to the nuclear issue but came to a standstill last September.

The DPRK said February this year that it will suspend the six-party nuclear talks "indefinitely" because of the United States' "hostile policy" towards it.

In response, Pak told Hu that the DPRK side appreciates China's efforts to maintain peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

During talks with Premier Wen Jiabao Tuesday, Pak said that the DPRK will join the six-party talks about the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula "at any time" provided conditions are right.

On China-DPRK ties, Hu said that as good neighbors, their traditional friendship, forged and cultivated by the older-generation leaders, has been further promoted with the joint efforts from the two sides and cooperation in all fields yields positive progress.

"The Communist Party of China, government and people treasure the friendship with DPRK very much and will expand exchange and cooperation at all level and in all sectors in a spirit of inheriting tradition, facing the future, continuing good neighborliness and enhancing cooperation," Hu said.

Hu also appealed the two countries to learn from each other about how to govern the country, and enhance communication and coordination on major international and regional issues to remain vitality and vigor of China-DPRK ties in the new century.

Pak said that DPRK top leader Kim Jong-il and the party, government and people of DPRK were satisfied with the progress of the friendly cooperative ties with China.

"It's our unswerving policy to further friendship with China," Pak said. "We will, along with China, exert positive efforts to push forward the development of our bilateral ties."

The DPRK premier hailed China's political stability and economic development, saying DPRK hopes to learn from Chinese experience for development and wishes greater achievement for China.

Pak was here for his first official visit to China as premier.

(Xinhua News Agency March 24, 2005)