"An early resumption of the six-party talks is a common wish of all the six parties," foreign ministry spokeman Liu Jianchao told a press briefing.

"We hope all the parties can find ways to solve problems and strive for an early resumption of the talks and positive progress," added Liu, who said setting an actual date required further "consultations".

A US State Department spokesman said on Friday the talks could resume later this month after a fruitless previous round in December.

"I would expect that those talks could reconvene again as early as January, as early as this month," spokesman Sean McCormack said.

McCormack said the main US negotiator, Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill, was working to get the parties -- China, Japan, North and South Korea and Russia -- together within the next four weeks.

The long-running six-party negotiations were suspended in late 2005 after North Korea walked out in protest at US financial sanctions imposed on a Macau bank accused of illicit dealings on behalf of Pyongyang.

The talks resumed in December -- following North Korea's October nuclear weapons test -- but ended in deadlock after Pyongyang insisted the financial sanctions be lifted before it would discuss nuclear disarmament.

Asked what he thought of the prospects for the talks achieving progress in 2007, Liu said that disarming North Korea was an "arduous task" requiring the patience and wisdom of all parties.

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