China held consultation with the United States for the upcoming six-party talks, said a source with the press office Tuesday morning.  

The closed-door meeting was presided over by Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wang Yi and US Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly, to coordinate efforts in the six-party talks, due to open Wednesday.

Sources said that China will hold similar consultations with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) later Tuesday.

The DPRK delegation, with Deputy Foreign Minister Kim Kye-gwan as the head, has just arrived in Beijing. The ROK delegation will also arrive in Beijing this morning.

Also on Tuesday, the Russian delegation led by Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Losiukov held talks with the Japanese delegation headed by Mitoji Yabunaka, director-general of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau of the Japanese Foreign Ministry, in the Russian Embassy in China, said a source.

The Russian delegation will soon consult with the US delegation in the Russian Embassy in China, the source said.

China earlier announced the name list of the delegation. Besides delegation head Wang Yi, other members are Fu Ying, advisor; Ning Fukui, ambassador in charge of the Korean Peninsula issue; Cui Tiankai, director-general of the Asian Affairs Department; He Yafei, director-general of the North American and Oceanian Affairs Department; Kong Xuanyou, deputy director-general of the Asian Affairs Department; Fu Cong, deputy director-general of the Arms Control and Disarmament Department; Liu Jianchao, deputy director-general of the Information Department; Zhang Haizhou, counselor of the East European and Central Asian Affairs Department; and Yang Xiyu, director of the Office for Korean Peninsula Issue.

Other delegations have not announced their name lists yet.

(Xinhua News Agency February 24, 2004)