Vice-Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo, one of the top diplomats involved in efforts to defuse the nuclear crisis on the Korean Peninsula, will visit the Republic of Korea (ROK) and Japan this month.

Dai will be in ROK from November 9-12 and Japan from November 12-16 on a trip that comes just one week after a visit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) by senior Chinese leader Wu Bangguo.

Dai's visit is regarded as China's latest move to push for the continuance of the six-party talks on this issue.

"China will continue to work with other parties to push for the next round of six-party talks,'' Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhang Qiyue said Tuesday.

Responding to reports that the United States, Japan, the Republic of Korea and the European Union are considering suspension of light water projects in the DPRK, Zhang said all related parties should take more positive actions to create a sound atmosphere for the second round talks.

Meanwhile, responding to questions about Russia's YUKOS company and the proposed Sino-Russian oil pipeline project, Zhang said the project has been confirmed by the two governments many times and will be a major component in economic and energy co-operation between the two countries.

She said both sides have confirmed their intent to carry out co-operative projects, including the oil pipeline, according to the principles of a joint statement signed by the two countries' top leaders.

Zhang also reiterated China's opposition to any official contact between Taiwan and the United States when asked to comment on a handshake between Taiwan "leader'' Chen Shui-bian and US Secretary of State Colin Powell when the two men met in Panama recently.

On the topic of Pakistani President Musharraf's visit to China, Zhang said both sides will strengthen co-operation in nontraditional security areas in the future, including terrorism, national splittism and religious extremism.

Turning to reports that there is increasing appeal in Japan to reduce its official development assistance to China, Zhang said China is still a developing country though it has made progress in high technology, as demonstrated by last month's successful launch of the Shenzhou V spacecraft.

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