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The United States pressed China on Wednesday to exert more diplomatic and economic pressure to help rein in North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs during a round of high-level talks in Washington, U S secretary of state Rex Tillerson said.
The defense chiefs and top diplomats of both countries met after President Donald Trump said Chinese efforts to use its leverage with Pyongyang had failed.
But Tillerson also announced that Trump plans to make a state visit to China later this year, signaling that the president seeks improved relations with Beijing despite his frustrations over North Korea.
North Korea topped the agenda at the talks. Issues of territorial disputes between China and its neighbors in the South China Sea and global counter-terrorism efforts were also discussed.
"The United States will continue to fly, sale and operate wherever international law allows," Mattis said, reflecting Washington’s determination to counter China's sweeping claims to the strategic waterway.
U S officials urged China to crack down on North Korean activities to cut funding to leadership.
On Tuesday, a U.S. official said U.S. spy satellites had detected movements recently at NorthKorea's nuclear test site near a tunnel entrance, but it was unclear if Pyongyang was preparing for a new nuclear test, perhaps to coincide with Wednesday's high-level talks.
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