US probes North Korea’s willingness to talk

Washington, backed by most of the international community, has declared North Korea’s programme unacceptable, fearing that its own vast arsenal will not deter Kim from attack.

With the world on edge, fears are growing that a miscalculation from either side could trigger a renewed deadly conflict on the divided Korean peninsula.

Some recent tests saw North Korean missiles flying over Japan en route to the Pacific, and its latest underground detonation seems to have been of a powerful hydrogen bomb.

Observers have expressed concern that if the North carries out an atmospheric nuclear test over the ocean, Washington will feel obliged to take risky military action.

– Heated rhetoric –

But Tillerson said that decision would be up to Trump alone and that “as far as I know the commander in chief has issued no red lines.”

Tillerson instead called for calm, singling out Pyongyang’s missile tests for criticism, but not rushing to defend Trump’s own heated rhetoric and bellicose tweets.

“The whole situation is a bit overheated right now. I think everyone would like for it to calm down,” he said in response to a question about Trump’s threats.

“I think if North Korea would stop firing all the missiles, that would calm down things a lot,” he said.

Tillerson, who was in Beijing to plan for a summit that Xi will host for Trump in November, welcomed recent measures taken by China to crack down on its neighbour.

The opening remarks at his three meetings with Xi, Yang and Wang contained no reference to North Korea, but he said afterwards the issue had been discussed.

US leaders criticised Beijing for taking too soft a line with Pyongyang, but in recent weeks China has taken more drastic measures to cut off trade and finance.

And in public, at least, the Chinese officials were all smiles for their guest.

Xi touted what he said was his “good working relationship and personal friendship” with Trump and predicted that the summit “will be a special, wonderful and successful one”.