US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived here Friday morning for a visit to China.

Rice is scheduled to meet with Chinese President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao, State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan, respectively, and hold talks with Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

The two sides will exchange views on major international and regional issues of shared concern, including the China-U.S. relations and situation on the Korean peninsula.

Rice's ongoing visit is in the wake of the nuclear test conducted by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea on Oct. 9.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said the Chinese side hopes to have an in-depth discussion with Rice on how to ease the current situation on the Korean peninsula and promote the realization of a nuclear-free peninsula through dialogues and negotiations.

This is the third leg of Rice's four-nation tour, which has taken her to Japan and the Republic of Korea. She is also scheduled to visit Russia following her China trip.