China must change tack in dealings with North Korea after nuclear test, says US
The United States has urged China to try different approaches to deal with North Korea’s nuclear ambitions as a long-time benefactor of the country.
Secretary of State John Kerry discussed the issue with Foreign Minister Wang Yi during telephone talks in the wake of North Korea’s nuclear test, he told reporters at the State Department.
Kerry did not elaborate on what the US government wants China to do next.
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The talks came as the United States seeks to drum up international support for efforts to persuade North Korea to refrain from further provocative acts following what Pyongyang claimed was a successful hydrogen bomb test.
Kerry said that as China has had “a particular approach” to addressing North Korea's nuclear ambitions, Washington had been giving Beijing “the space to be able to implement that”.
“But today in my conversation with the Chinese, I made it very clear, that has not worked and we cannot continue business as usual,” Kerry said.
Asked if he thinks it is time for China to get tough with North Korea, Kerry said, “It's time for everybody to make sure that this does not continue as business as usual.”
Kerry also said he and Wang agreed to work closely together to determine the steps that we can take to address increasing concerns about the nuclear test.
China has hosted six-nation talks aimed at ending North Korea’s nuclear ambitions since the multilateral framework was launched in 2003. But the talks, which also involve Japan, the United States, Russia and two Koreas, have been stalled since 2008.
Senator John McCain, chairman of the armed services committee, meanwhile criticised the US handling of the North Korean nuclear programme, saying in a statement that the reported test of a nuclear device represents “the latest example of the failed national security agenda of the Obama administration”.
“We see a world that is desperate for American leadership, but only continues to be disappointed,” the Republican senator said.
READ MORE: After North Korea’s latest nuclear test, China must lead global efforts to rein in insecure regime
The United States as well as Japan and South Korea have become sceptical about North Korea’s announcement that it detonated a hydrogen bomb after analysing data detected following the underground blast.
But through a series of telephone conversations, US President Barack Obama and leaders from other countries that have a stake in North Korea’s nuclear programmes have agreed on the gravity of the nuclear test and reaffirmed cooperation in addressing the issue, officials of the governments said.
