The new top US negotiator on the six-party talks, Christopher Hill, will visit China this week following the decision of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to withdraw from the talks, US officials said on Wednesday.  

Hill is expected to join Deputy Foreign Minister Song Min-soon of the Republic of Korea (ROK) for consultations with Chinese officials, US officials said.

Hill was named by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Monday as the new head of the US delegation to the six-party talks aimed at dismantling the nuclear programs of the DPRK.

Hill, who currently serves as US ambassador to the ROK, replaces James Kelly, the assistant secretary of state who has so far led the US delegation to the six-party talks and who resigned last month as part of a shake-up under the new administration of President George W. Bush.

The United States has said it is committed to the six-party talks even though the DPRK declared on February 10 to withdraw from the talks "for an indefinite period."

Three rounds of the six-party talks have been held to try to resolve the nuclear confrontation between the United States and the DPRK. The six-party talks have been stalled since June last year as the DPRK accused the United States of adopting a hostile policy towards Pyongyang.

(Xinhua News Agency February 17, 2005)