U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte is expected to bring up key North Korea issues with Chinese officials during his visit to Beijing.

He will visit China to attend a ceremony to mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the U.S. deputy state secretary will have detailed discussions on North Korea and Iran, suggesting that Negroponte will seek ways to restart the deadlocked six-party nuclear talks.

State Secretary Condoleezza Rice was scheduled to visit China for the ceremony, but she canceled the visit due to escalating violence in Gaza. Negroponte is taking her place.