"Following the common efforts of China and the relevant parties, all sides are currently expressing a positive attitude towards starting a second round of Beijing talks," the foreign ministry said in a statement to AFP.

"As for the format and timing (of the talks), we are currently involved in further consultations," it said.

China hosted trilateral talks with the United States and North Korea in Beijing in April, and has stepped up diplomatic efforts to broker a second round.

The ministry's statement came a day after US President George W. Bush spoke by telephone to Chinese President Hu Jintao, and said "serious progress" was being made in framing an Asian regional solution to the nuclear crisis.

Bush told a White House news conference that the move was "part of an ongoing process" to encourage Hu "to stay involved in the process of discussion" with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il.

WAR.WIRE