China's Hu meets NKorean PM amid nuclear tension

Posted 03 20 2009 9:21AM

BEIJING (AFP) – Chinese President Hu Jintao told North Korea's premier Thursday that Beijing would work with Pyongyang to resolve differences over the nuclear situation on the Korean peninsula.

"We hope that relevant parties will proceed from overall interests, properly resolve existing differences, and push for the six-party talks to continue to move forward," Hu told Kim Yong-Il in talks broadcast on state television.

"China is willing to work together with North Korea and relevant parties on this."

Hu received Kim in Beijing amid mounting global concern over North Korea's planned launch early next month of a communications satellite, which the United States and South Korea have said is more likely a test of a ballistic missile.

Adding to tensions, six-nation talks aimed at ending Pyongyang's nuclear weapons programmes have stalled since December.

Kim, officially on a five-day visit to mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two nations, also met with China's Premier Wen Jiabao on Wednesday during which they discussed the nuclear situation.

On greeting Hu on Thursday, Kim relayed "warm greetings" from North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il.

Hu, meanwhile, pledged to further shore up a relationship long described by China as being as "close as lips and teeth."

Washington says Pyongyang will test a missile that could, in theory, reach Alaska, and a top US general this week said the United States could shoot down the North Korean rocket if it was determined to be a ballistic missile.

North Korea has resisted pressure to call off the launch and warned that any attempt to shoot it down would be regarded as an act of war.

China has expressed concern amid the escalating tensions and has called on all sides to exercise restraint and return to the six-nation process, which groups China, the United States, North and South Korea, Japan and Russia.

China is North Korea's closest ally and most important trading partner but experts believe it still has limited influence over the secretive state.

Kim also attended a dance show on Thursday hosted by Wen to mark the anniversary.