Chief negotiators of the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue gathered at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse this morning, initiating a new round of negotiation on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei, also head of the Chinese delegation presided over the talks, which was launched at 11:00 a.m. at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse.

Heads of the six delegations, namely, China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the United States, the Republic of Korea (ROK), Japan and Russia, attended the opening ceremony.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Wu appreciated the "constructive" efforts the six parties and their respective government have made for the resumption of the talks.

"The talks are of vital importance that bridge the past and the future," he said.

"The current round of talks will emphasize and fix on specific measures to fully implement the joint statement adopted by the six parties during the fourth round of talks in September, 2005," the Chinese chief negotiator said.

He stressed the issues to be discussed and settled during the fresh round of talks are "complicated" and "sophisticated", adding parties concerned are shouldering a "glorious" and "arduous" mission.

"China sincerely hopes all the six parties exert political wisdom, come up with political determination and courage, and build a mutual-beneficial future while increasing mutual trust," he said.

He also urged parties concerned to make new contribution to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, normalization of diplomatic ties between relevant countries and building new structure for a harmonious northeast Asia.

After the opening ceremony, the six parties are currently holding a plenary session, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

They will hold a series of bilateral consultations on Monday afternoon.

Before the talks were officially launched, the six parties held a meeting between chief negotiators.

Chief negotiators of the six parties are, Wu Dawei, head of the Chinese delegation and Chinese vice foreign minister; Kim Kye-gwan, head of the DPRK delegation and DPRK's vice foreign minister; Christopher Hill, head of the U.S. delegation and assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs; Chun Yung Woo, head of the ROK delegation and ROK Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Kenichiro Sasae, head of the Japanese delegation and director-general for Asian and Oceanian Affairs of Japanese Foreign Ministry; Sergei Razov, head of the Russian delegation and Russian ambassador to China.

Launched in 2003, the six-party talks have been held for five rounds. However, the talks have remained stalled since the DPRK walked out of the negotiations more than a year ago in response to U.S. sanctions.

In late November, chief negotiators of the DPRK, the United States, the ROK and Japan came to Beijing to join their Chinese counterpart in laying the groundwork for the resumption of the talks.