Tillerson meets China leaders to pressure NoKor
BEIJING (AFP) — US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met with China’s top diplomats in Beijing yesterday to discuss efforts to curb North Korea’s nuclear ambitions and prepare President Donald Trump’s November visit.
Tillerson, whose arrival was delayed due to technical problems with his plane in Tokyo, held talks with State Councillor Yang Jiechi and Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the Great Hall of the People at Tiananmen Square.
The visit comes as relations between the two superpowers appear to be improving after months of tensions over how to handle North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s nuclear provocations.
“Our two presidents have developed a very regular and close working relationship,” Tillerson told Yang.
“I know President Trump is very much looking forward to the upcoming summit as is everyone on his team,” Tillerson, who was due to meet Xi later in the day, said.
Yang, China’s most senior diplomat, said Trump’s trip was of “great importance” for Sino-US relations.
“Let us concentrate on cooperation and properly manage our differences in the spirit of mutual respect and mutual benefit so that we can keep moving the China-US relationship forward in the right direction,” Yang said.
In a separate meeting, Wang told Tillerson: “At present, China-US relations overall have a positive momentum and have arrived at an important opportunity to progress further.”
None of them mentioned North Korea in their public remarks before reporters were ushered out, but the topic was expected to be on the agenda.
Trump has repeatedly urged Xi to exert more economic pressure on Pyongyang to convince the renegade regime to give up its nuclear ambitions.