As the most important and sensitive issue in the Sino-US relationship, the Taiwan question will be high on the agenda between Premier Wen Jiabao and US leaders during his upcoming visit to the United States, according to the Foreign Ministry.

Wen will discuss bilateral relations and other major international issues of concern when meeting US President George W. Bush and other US leaders, ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said.

He will also attend several functions in Washington DC, New York and Boston during the December 7-10 stay.

China welcomes and appreciates Indian Foreign Minister Yashwant Sinha's speech on its policy regarding China, Liu said yesterday when asked by China Daily to respond to Sinha's weekend address.

Liu said China is willing to further improve its long-term constructive co-operative partnership with India, based on the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence.

Being a very important component of Chinese diplomacy, to promote friendship with India not only complies with the interests of the two nations and its peoples, but also benefits regional peace and stability.

Liu recalled Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's visit to China in June, saying it signified that Sino-Indian relations had entered a new era.

China is satisfied with the positive growing momentum of bilateral ties and is willing to explore co-operative relations with India across the board.

Jia Qinglin, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, is in India at the moment.

China's steady development constitutes no threat to any country and will benefit regional stability and prosperity, Xinhua quoted Jia as saying during a Monday meeting with Sinha.

Jia said the Chinese leadership will forge friendly relations and promote reciprocal co-operation with all countries in South Asia.

The ministry spokesman also said consultations leading up to the second round of six-party talks covering the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula have so far been beneficial.

China hopes that through the efforts of all parties, they can be held at an early date and progress can be made, he said.

Also, Liu revealed that Vice-Foreign Minister Wang Yi and the Director of the Asian Affairs Department of the Foreign Ministry, Fu Ying, met the visiting Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry's No 1 Asian Department, Yevgeny Afanasyev, on November 17.

Liu said China and Russia discussed preparations for the six-party talks.

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