China hopes progress on efforts to resolve the frozen funds issue of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) will occur soon to allow the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsular nuclear issue to resume, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said Thursday.

"The parties are making positive efforts," spokesman Qin Gang told a regular press conference. "We hope these efforts will yield results soon."

Qin's remarks came in response to a question concerning the transfer of the DPRK funds frozen in a Macao bank.

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill said in Washington Wednesday that the long banking dispute with the DPRK could end "very soon" after Russia offered earlier this week to help resolve the issue.

The frozen funds issue has been a major stumbling block to the six-party talks which stalled in March.

"Like the other five parties, China expects to resume the six-party talks at an early date, "said Qin.

Though the talks are facing difficulties, all the parties remain committed to resolving the Korean Peninsular nuclear issue via negotiation, said Qin.

"China would like to maintain close contacts with each party, discussing specific issues such as the date the talks should resume and the form they should take," the spokesman said.

Hill, who is also the chief U.S. negotiator at the six-party talks, told reporters on Wednesday he is due to visit China, the Republic of Korea (ROK) and Japan next week to discuss the possibility of restarting the six-party talks.

But Qin did not confirm the visit. "The United States have not yet informed us of this, "said Qin.

The United States has been urging the DPRK to fulfill its promise to shut down its main nuclear facility. The April 14 deadline for the shutdown agreed in the February round of the six-party talks came and went without action from the DPRK.

Pyongyang insists that its 25 million dollars frozen at the Banco Delta Asia in Macao must be returned before it closes the nuclear reactor and starts new negotiations.

Launched in 2003, the six party talks involve China, the DPRK, the United States, the ROK, Japan and Russia.