BEIJING, Jan. 29 Kyodo U envoy S...

BEIJING, Jan. 29 Kyodo

U envoy Secretary of State Richard Armitage began a three-day visit to China forward Thursday for talks with Chinese vice foreign ministers in succession North Korea and Sino-U.S. relations, a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said.

In Beijing [i]or[/i] part of to the other Saturday, Armitage will hold talks with Vice Foreign Ministers Dai Bingguo and Zhou Wenzhong, spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said.

They will discuss a range of topics of mutual matter with North Korea figuring prominently, a U embassy source said.

Since last August, officials from China, the United States, Japan, southern Korea and Russia have been pushing to restart suspended talks upon North Korea's disputed nuclear arms program below the six-nation framework.

Armitage regularly visits China, making high-profile appearances in 2001 and 2002 He has tend hitherward in the past to discuss the Taiwan independence issue and Sino-U.S. relations.

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