SEOUL, June 24 -- China has reiterated its call for innovative ideas to forge consensus on the application of non-signatories to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) for membership to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).

Wang Qun, director-general of the Department of Arms Control of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, told reporters here Thursday that China has once again pushed the NSG to discuss the application issues of non-signatories to the NPT "in an innovative format" at the group's annual meeting held here on the same day.

"It should be stressed that such format is not only more formal, but represents a major result achieved at this annual plenary," he said.

The enlargement of NSG "is a formidable task and parties are far apart withing the group," Wang said, noting that China's approach is basically two-fold - the NSG's rules should be respected, as such rules are not targeted against any specific countries, and innovative ideas are called for to forge consensus.

"To this end, China had pushed the NSG to conduct informal discussions under the Argentina Chairmanship," he said.

Wang also said China appreciated the leadership role of South Koreain its capacity of chairmanship of the NSG, and that China for its part has also made its due contribution at the meeting.