The six-party talks on the North Korea nuclear issue should be continued despite many difficulties in the peace process, Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said Sunday (Mar. 6).

China hopes major parties to show flexibility, sincerity and patience for early re-opening of the talks, Li said at a press conference in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on the sidelines of the ongoing session of the National People's Congress.

The minister urged the US and North Korea to engage in direct talks to increase mutual trust and understanding.

"No matter how difficult the process is," the top diplomat said, "China always adheres to the position for making peace and facilitating the talks in an objective and impartial way."

Li said that China pursues the objective for a nuclear-free, peaceful and stable Korean Peninsula.

Meanwhile, he said, "the legitimate concerns of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea should be addressed."

"The six-party talks present a realistic choice for the resolution on the nuclear issue through dialogue," he said, adding that the talks are in the interest of all the parties.

The pressing task of the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue is for the two major parties concerned to gradually increase trust and understanding, said Li.

"The United States of America is a sovereign state, and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) is also a sovereign state," Li said while answering a question from an Associated Press reporter about what steps China would take to "compel" the DPRK back to the six-party talks.

Li said peace is the most valuable thing, and called for concerted efforts of all parties concerned to resume the six-party talks, which will be conducive to realizing a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula and maintaining peace and stability there.

The supreme leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea still pursues the objective for a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula, according to Li.

Li said that after receiving the verbal message from Chinese President Hu Jintao, the DPRK supreme leader said they still pursue the objective for a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula.

"They remain ready and willing to continue to participate in the six-party talks," Li said, "they hope the rest of the parties should display more sincerity."

Editor: Olivia