BEIJING, Jan. 12 (Xinhuanet) -- Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei on Thursday held talks with chief U.S. negotiator to the six-party talks Christopher Hill, according to a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman.

    The key topic for the two sides was the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, spokesman Kong Quan told a regular press conference.

    China holds that the six-party talks should go on and the goal to achieve a nuclear-free Korean Peninsular should never be changed, Kong said.

    The Chinese side also highlighted that peaceful settlement of the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula should also never be changed, Kong added.

    "Under the current complicated situation, we hope all parties concerned would properly handle the existing problems through dialogue and negotiations so as to resume the talks as early as possible," Kong said.

    Hill arrived here on Thursday noon after visiting Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK).

    "We look forward to seeing the talks move on in this difficult stage," Hill said upon arrival at the Beijing airport.

    Taiwan issue 

    China urged the Japanese government to observe its commitment on the Taiwan issue, and not to offer the arena for "Taiwan independence" activists, said Kong.

    It has been reported that former Taiwan leader Lee Teng-hui plans to visit Japan in April or May. "We hope Japan would look at Sino-Japanese relations from the general situation, and properly handle this issue according to the principles of the three Sino-Japanese political documents," Kong said.

    Kong told a regular press conference that Japan should not give visa of any form to Lee Teng-hui by any reason.

    "Seeing what he (Lee Teng-hui) has done could you learn what heis doing and what he is going to do," Kong said, saying Japan should know very well what kind of person he is.

    China hopes Japan would adhere to the one-China policy and follow its commitment on the Taiwan issue, the spokesman said.

    Mongolia's political change

    China on Thursday expressed its concern over Mongolia's political changes, saying that it hoped the country would maintain political stability.

    "Mongolia is China's friendly neighbor. Domestic changes there, especially political changes, certainly draw concern from China," Kong Quan said.

    "The issues are, in the first place, Mongolia's internal affairs," Kong said, adding that China hopes China-Mongolia cooperation will move forward in a healthy and steady way.

    Mongolia's biggest political party on Wednesday announced it had quit the coalition government. In a statement, the Mongolian People's Revolution Party (MPRP) said it made the decision following internal conflicts in the coalition.

    The MPRP said the internal conflicts had weakened the ability of the government to run the country.

    The MPRP, which has 38 of the 76 seats in the Grand Hural, Mongolia's parliament, said it hoped to form its own government with other parties.

    The MPRP also demanded Prime Minister Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj's resignation.

    Japan-U.S. military co-op

    Military cooperation between Japan and the United States should be "strictly" confined to the bilateral category, Kong said.

    When asked to comment on an allegation that Japan would regard war over the Taiwan Strait as an event in its surrounding areas and allow the United States to use its military facilities, Kong said the alliance between Japan and the United States is a bilateral arrangement.

    "Therefore, the bilateral arrangement should be strictly confined to the bilateral category," Kong said, noting that such arrangement should avoid bringing complicated factors to regional security and stability.

    Moreover, the spokesman said, Japan and the United States should, proceeding from the security, peace and stability of the region as well as their own long-term interests, do more for the benefit of peace and stability in the region, and not the reverse.
    
    Greek PM's upcoming visit to China

    Konstantinos Karamanlis, prime minister of the Republic of Greece, will pay an official visit to China from January 19th to 22, 2006 at the invitation of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao. Kong announced. Enditem