"We're all encouraged," she told reporters after holding talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao.

"(However) everybody emphasises the hard work ahead," she said.

Rice's visit to China came after the North handed in a key declaration outlining its atomic activities on Thursday last week.

The declaration was part of a landmark six-nation deal reached last year, in which North Korea agreed to disable nuclear plants at its Yongbyon nuclear power plant in return for aid and diplomatic recognition.

The North on Friday also destroyed the cooling tower of its Yongbyon facility.

Rice said the next round of six-party talks, which include China -- the host of the talks -- the United States, Japan, South Korea, North Korea and Russia, would take place "pretty soon."

"I don't think it will be weeks. There are scheduling issues. We have to get people together," she said.

US nuclear envoy Christopher Hill told journalists he met with China's top diplomat on North Korea Wu Dawei in Beijing Monday on the scheduling of the next round of talks, but that no date had yet been set.

Japanese and South Korean press reports have said the next round of the talks may take place next week in Beijing, but the Chinese foreign ministry on Monday had no comment on the issue.

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