The United States and China have agreed to work together to convince North Korea to take a “course correction” and stop them from developing nuclear weapons, Reuters reported. The announcement came after a meeting between US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Saturday in Beijing. Washington has been repeatedly urging China to stop North Korea from conducting nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.
“We renewed our determination to work together to convince North Korea to choose a better path and a different future for its people,” Tillerson said according to AP. The Chinese foreign minister said the two countries will find a way to seek peaceful settlement through diplomatic means. “Neither of us are ready to give up the hope for peace,” Wang said. Last week, Wang had said that North Korea, and US and South Korea, were like “accelerating trains” headed towards each other, AP reported.
On Friday, Tillerson warned of a military response if Pyongyang tried to threaten South Korean and US forces. However, after his meeting with Wang in Beijing, Tillerson said the US was focusing on a “results-oriented” relationship with China.
The bilateral talks between the leaders came months after US President Donald Trump said that there was no pint in continuing with the “One China” policy if Beijing did not make trade concessions for the US. A diplomatic row had kicked off in November after Trump had a phone conversation with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen.
However, while speaking to Chinese President Xi Jinping over the telephone last month, Trump reaffirmed his country’s commitment to upholding the policy. According to the “One China” policy, Taiwan is considered to be part of China.
Xi is expected to meet Trump in the US next month, Reuters reported.
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