China hopes dialogue and contacts between the United States and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) can achieve positive progress, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang Tuesday.

During his visit to the Republic of Korea (ROK), US President Barack Obama announced that US nuclear envoy Stephen Bosworth would visit Pyongyang on Dec. 8 to discuss the DPRK's return to the stalled six-party talks.

The six-party talks were facing important opportunities, Qin said.

He called on all parties to push forward the resumption of the talks in concerted efforts, so as to facilitate the denuclearization process of the Korean Peninsula.

Qin said as the host country of the six-party talks, China would continue to play a constructive role in promoting the resumption of the talks and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, in a bid to safeguard peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

In response to a question on Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie's DPRK visit, Qin said Liang's visit was part of the normal military contacts between China and the DPRK.

"It was aimed at cementing and developing bilateral friendship and promoting exchanges and cooperation between the two armed forces," he said.

The DPRK, which has boycotted the six-party talks since April, has called for direct talks with the United States to find a solution to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

The United States has agreed to the talks, but stressed they should lead to the resumption of six-party talks and be guided by the six-party mechanism, which also involves China, Japan, the ROK and Russia.