China to send talks envoy to North Korea

BEIJING, July 6 (Reuters) China's top negotiator on the North Korean nuclear crisis will accompany Vice Premier Hui Liangyu on a visit to Pyongyang next week, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said today.

Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei, who headed negotiations for Beijing at the last round of talks between the Koreas, the United States, Japan, China and Russia, would be part of the delegation, spokeswoman Jiang Yu told reporters.

Wu would also hold talks with visiting U.S. envoy Christopher Hill, who was due in Beijing on Friday.

Hui is due to head to North Korea on Monday to mark the 45th anniversary of a Sino-North Korean friendship treaty. The trip will go ahead despite North Korea rattling the international community by launching at least six missiles on Wednesday.

REUTERS SK BST1306