North Korean Premier Pak Pong-Ju met Hu at the Great Hall of the People after spending the morning at Yanjing Brewery, one of China's most successful beer producers, on the second day of a six-day visit.

He handed over a message from reclusive leader Kim Jong-Il.

"The Chinese side will continue its work calling for peace and promoting dialogue and hopes that all sides can make common efforts and play constructive roles in resuming six-party talks," Hu was quoted by Xinhua news agency as telling Pak.

In talks with Premier Wen Jiabao Tuesday, Pak said his country was ready to resume six-party talks on curbing its nuclear weapons programs, but only when conditions were right.

Washington has warned it will consider "other options" if Pyongyang fails to negotiate. It has ruled out giving any new incentives upfront in return for disarmament, apart from endorsing a multilateral security guarantee and energy aid by the communist state's neighbors.

Pak's commitment came just hours after Pyongyang said it had increased its nuclear arsenal to ward off a US attack. North Korea has expressed anger over ongoing joint US and South Korean military exercises.

China is North Korea's closest ally and has been under pressure from the United States to bring the rogue state back to the negotiating table.

"I heard that comrade premier yesterday had very good talks with Premier Wen Jiabao and had a deep exchange of views and reached big consensus on bilateral and other big issues," said Hu.

"I believe that comrade premier's visit will certainly push forward friendly bilateral cooperation in economics and trade and every area, and push forward the new development in China-NKorea traditionally friendly relations."

Wen told Pak the nuclear talks should continue within the current six-party framework, which also include South Korea, Japan and Russia and which have been stalled since last June.

In another meeting with senior Chinese Communist Party official Jia Qinglin, Pak was told that China intended to expand relations with Pyongyang in all areas, an effort that would be beneficial to peace and stability in the region.

"Sino-North Korea friendly relations do not only conform to the interests of the peoples on both sides, but it also conforms to regional peace and stability," Jia said.

Pak is also using his stay to learn about China's 25-year-old experiment with market economic reforms and its integration into the global trading system.

He visited a Nokia mobile phone plant at Beijing's Economic and Technological Zone on Tuesday.

Later in the week he goes to the booming metropolis of Shanghai and the northeastern industrial city of Shenyang in Liaoning province, which borders North Korea.

The North has announced its readiness to adopt Chinese-style economic reforms. But its economy remains plagued by bad planning, energy shortages and a series of natural disasters.

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