China says it shares common interests with U.S. on Korea

China shares broad common interests and goals with the U.S. on Korean peninsula issues, a senior Chinese diplomat said on Wednesday, ahead of Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to the United States.

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai repeated calls to restart six-party talks during a news conference in Beijing ahead of Hu's state visit from Jan. 18 to 21, including a summit with President Barack Obama.

Obama is likely to urge Hu to increase pressure on his ally North Korea, which triggered regional alarm by shelling a South Korean island and by claiming progress in uranium enrichment, which could give it a second pathway to making nuclear weapons.

Obama is also likely to raise U.S. complaints that Beijing keeps its yuan currency too cheap against the dollar, giving China an unfair trade advantage.