"As to when the next round of six-party talks will be held, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea needs to further observe the new US government to see if its policies on the DPRK have changed," Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said.

"It has to further understand America's new policy on the DPRK."

She was briefing reporters on a visit to Pyongyang this month by Beijing's special envoy to North Korea, Ning Fukui.

Ning visited the North from November 24-26 and met high-ranking officials, Zhang announced, but did not say whether he met North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il.

Pyongyang's position has not changed on continuing with the six-party talks, Zhang told a regular briefing. The talks are aimed at halting the Stalinist country's nuclear weapons drive.

"The DPRK side believes that it's still very important to resume the talks and is very necessary," said Zhang, but noted that Pyongyang believes the next round of talks "should achieve practical results."

"The DPRK side is willing to make preparations and efforts in this regard," she said.

Three rounds of multilateral talks to end North Korea's nuclear ambitions have taken place since the standoff erupted in October 2002, with the two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the United States taking part.

North Korea boycotted a fourth round of talks scheduled for Beijing in September in order to wait out the November US presidential elections, according to many analysts.

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