US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Friday used his first meeting with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi to urge Beijing to help rein in North Korea after its series of nuclear and ballistic missile tests. Trump however reaffirmed the position in a conciliatory phone call to Chinese President Xi Jinping
Bonn (AFP) – US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Friday used his first meeting with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi to urge Beijing to help rein in North Korea after its series of nuclear and ballistic missile tests.
Their talks, the highest level Sino-US encounter since President Donald Trump was elected, had appeared unlikely after he infuriated Beijing by calling into question Washington’s long-standing „One China“ policy.
Trump however reaffirmed the position in a conciliatory phone call to Chinese President Xi Jinping, mending fences enough for Wang to come to Bonn for a G20 foreign ministers meeting.
„Secretary Tillerson and Minister Wang noted the recent call between leaders and discussed efforts to advance bilateral cooperation while addressing differences in a constructive manner,“ Mark Toner, acting US State Department spokesman, said.
„Secretary Tillerson also highlighted the increasing threat posed by North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs and urged China to use all available tools to moderate North Korea’s destabilising behaviour,“ Toner said.
China is North Korea’s last major ally and has shown itself reluctant to put too much pressure on Pyongyang.
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In the meantime, reclusive North Korea has made huge strides in both its missile and nuclear weapons programme to the point where it could acquire the capability to hit the US mainland.
