Vice Premier Wu Yi meets Kim Jong Il
(AFP)
Updated: 2005-10-09 06:40

China's Vice Premier Wu Yi met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, N. Korean media reported, in a visit expected to focus on making further progress in the six-party talks to end the nuclear standoff with Pyongyang.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Il (front right), meets with visiting Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi (front left) in Pyongyang, capital of North Korea, Saturday, Oct. 8, 2005. [Xinhua]

The Korean Central News Agency said Wu conveyed "a verbal personal message" from Chinese President Hu Jintao.

"Kim Jong Il thanked for this and asked her to transmit his regards to Hu Jintao and other senior officials of the Chinese party and government. He conversed with Wu Yi in a cordial and friendly atmosphere," the North Korean report said.

Wu headed the government delegation to the North on an "official goodwill" visit, which was to last through Tuesday.

In announcing the visit last month, China's foreign ministry said Beijing would like to see more progress in the six-party process.

"We hope all sides can make joint efforts to seriously put into effect the joint statement from the fourth round of six-party talks in Beijing and push forward for new progress in the six-party talks process," said ministry spokesman Qin Gang.

The latest round ended in Beijing last month with Pyongyang agreeing to a statement of principles on abandoning its atomic weapons in return for energy and security guarantees.

But the North has since warned it will not dismantle its nuclear arsenal until the United States delivers light-water reactors to allow it to generate power, casting doubt over its commitment to the statement.

The United States and China clashed last month at the UN nuclear watchdog IAEA over drafting a resolution welcoming North Korea's pledge to abandon atomic weapons. Washington wanted to make clear a light-water nuclear reactor was not about to be offered.

The joint statement reached in the last round of six-party talks said North Korea's demand for light-water reactors would be considered at an "appropriate" time.

The United States wants North Korea to first dismantle its nuclear arms program before it gets incentive bonuses.

China is hoping for a new round of talks in November.

Wu is China's highest-ranking woman and has often represented the country in difficult negotiations, including trade disputes with foreign countries.

Wu's visit will coincide with a visit to North Korea by Russian President Vladimir Putin's envoy to Russia's far eastern region, Konstantin Pulikovsky.

His press service said Friday Pulikovsky will travel to Pyongyang Sunday to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il for talks on bilateral issues and results of the six-party process.