He analyzed that in this phase the United States hinted at some unspoken commitments, which attracted North Korea. "North Korea's attitude generally will change in accordance with the U.S. attitude. Currently, a hard stance is not a wise choice for the United States, or it will put itself in a more passive position," he told Beijing Review.

"If America is enraged by a tough reaction, it will press China and South Korea to cooperate with U.S. sanctions," said Shi.

Zhu Feng, a professor at Peking University, also made it clear that a breakthrough lies in practical actions, rather than hostile policies, from both the United States and North Korea.

The talks appeared to be going smoothly. "A new consensus has been reached in the resumed talks, thanks to all parties' arduous efforts," Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said in a meeting with the six chief negotiators on December 20, only two days after the opening of the round.

Although the parties appeared to be making progress, observers still believe that a long process lies ahead. "Scrapping nuclear weapons has a long way to go, thus no one expects that a single meeting will result in a quick solution," said Piao Jianyi, a researcher on Korean issues at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Zhang Liangui, a professor at the Institute of International Strategy under the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, suggested that the construction of a system is crucial to the six-party talks. He pointed out that first, a timetable for the talks should be designed, and second, the discussions should be held on a regular basis.

China's efforts in getting this phase of the six-party talks underway were widely acknowledged. China held seven bilateral sessions with the five other parties to the talks and was acting as a mediator to help narrow those differences, Qin, the Foreign Ministry Spokesman, said, confirming that the talks would be "open-ended."

The spokesman urged delegates to the talks to show more patience, joking that "envoys should run a marathon to build up their stamina."

"The time and effort we spend are not in vain, and the expectations of the international community have not been disappointed," he said.