North Korean nuclear threat at danger level, Tillerson tells Chinese hosts
But top US diplomat doesn’t reiterate threat of military action during first day of visit to Beijing
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Saturday said North Korea’s nuclear threats had reached “a dangerous level” and called on China to make urgent efforts to help rein in the reclusive state, while Beijing insisted the crisis should be settled by diplomatic means.
But the ex-oil executive, who warned of a pre-emptive military strike against North Korea just a day before his first official visit to China, did not reiterate the threat yesterday in an obvious move to appease his hosts.
Speaking after a two-hour talk with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Tillerson said the pair had “a very extensive exchange” on the escalating tensions on the Korean peninsula and that the two sides had agreed work together to stop Pyangyong from provocations.
“I think we share a common view and a sense that tensions in the peninsula are quite high right now and that things have reached a rather dangerous level,” he said.
Wang insisted the tensions on the peninsula were about the hostility between Pyangyong and Washington and said the issues should be resolved by talks.
“Now the situation on the peninsula arrives at a new crossroad, where it could be further escalated into conflicts or finding a way to restart negotiations by strictly implementing relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions,” he said.
