Chinese President Hu Jintao and visiting U.S. President Barack Obama issued the China-U.S. Joint Statement in Beijing Tuesday, expressing the hope that the multilateral mechanism of the six-party talks would convene at an early date.

The two presidents reaffirmed in the joint statement the importance of continuing the six-party talks process and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

The joint statement said the two sides will work together with other parties concerned to comprehensively achieve the purpose and overall goal of the six-party talks through consultations and dialogues.

"The Chinese side welcomed the start of high-level contacts between the United States and the DPRK," said the joint statement.

(Xinhua News Agency November 17, 2009)