China's Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing held a telephone conversation this evening with the United States Secretary of State Mr Colin Powell on the nuclear crisis on the Korean peninsula.
Mr Li and Mr Powell discussed how to handle North Korea's nuclear crisis, according to sources within the foreign ministry. Both men believed the on-going talks in Beijing were beneficial, the sources said.
Earlier today, US Asia envoy Mr James Kelly held the first round of low-key nuclear talks in Beijing with "axis of evil" foe North Korea.
The negotiations, which also involved China as an active third party, marked the first direct dialogue since the crisis over North Korea's nuclear program erupted in October.
North Korea originally insisted on bilateral talks with the United States, cutting out South Korea from the procedures, while the US government called for a multilateral format.
The trilateral talks seem to have provided an acceptable compromise.
Mr Kelly visited Pyongyang in October, precipitating the crisis by accusing the Stalinist state of harbouring a secret nuclear program.
North Korea reacted furiously, threw out international nuclear arms inspectors, pulled out of a key nuclear pact and test-launched land-to-sea missiles, as it carefully raised the stakes in the confrontation.
North Korea wants a security guarantee from the United States and says it needs a powerful deterrent to stave off the threat of attack. Washington says Pyongyang must scrap its nuclear programme before it will offer a guarantee.
This wide gulf between the two was unlikely to be bridged this week and the Beijing meetings marked the start of what is likely to be a lengthy process to defuse the crisis.
Agencies