China is hinting that the fourth round of six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear issue will likely take place some time after next month.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan told reporters Thursday that it will be difficult to hold another round of multilateral nuclear talks by the end of this month as agreed in the previous round of talks in June.

Kong added that China hopes working-level talks on the North's nuclear issue will be held at the end of this month, even if the high-level main discussions wind up being postponed.

Kong said Beijing has been exerting continuous efforts to open the multilateral talks, adding that progress in the deadlocked negotiations depends on the stances of Washington and Pyongyang.