US pushing China to rein in companies that deal with NKorea

Top diplomats and defense chiefs from the United States and China began a day of talks in Washington on Wednesday looking for ways to press North Korea to give up its nuclear and missile programs.

North Korea topped the agenda at the newly established Diplomatic and Security Dialogue, which paired Tillerson and Mattis with Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi and General Fang Fenghui, chief of joint staff of the People's Liberation Army.

The US has 28,500 troops stationed in South Korea and has helped the nation set up a controversial Terminal High-Altitude Area Defence system, created to shoot down a North Korean ballistic missile.

"He represents the American people's view of North Korea right now", said Mattis, referencing anger over the death of Otto Warmbier, held captive by the regime for over a year.

President Donald Trump has been counting on China to use its economic leverage with North Korea's totalitarian government.

As the chief ally and biggest trade partner with North Korea, China provides vital assistance to its neighboring communist country.

Tillerson urged China to help crack down on illicit North Korean activities that fund its nuclear and missile programs, and said the Chinese had agreed their companies "should not do business" with sanctioned North Korean entities.

While the USA officials stressed agreement on the goal of North Korean denuclearization, the talks also dealt with China's sweeping territorial claims in the South China Sea, with the Americans reaffirming opposition to Beijing's militarization of islands it is building in the strategic waterway. -Chinese talks in Washington.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says China has a responsibility to exert much greater economic and diplomatic pressure on North Korea to prevent an escalation of tensions in the region. But she said the US wants more action against blacklisted North Korean companies doing business through China. "At least I know China tried!"

"In order to resolve the Korean peninsula nuclear issue, China has been making unremitting efforts and we have been playing an important and constructive role", Geng said.

The officials also will discuss counterterrorism as well as tensions in the South China Sea.

Trump embraced tough rhetoric against China in the early days of his administration, but has started mixing in favorable remarks about Xi Jinping ever since his meeting with the Chinese president in Mar-a-Lago in April. -Chinese military cooperation to reduce risk of conflict; and efforts to defeat the Islamic State group. She said the US would be consulting with China on implementation of U.N. Security Council resolutions that are meant to restrict revenue and technology for the North's nuclear and missile programs.

Divisive trade issues will be dealt with at a later date.

So what did Trump mean by his tweet on Tuesday then?

The Trump administration is considering banning travel by USA citizens to North Korea, officials said Tuesday, and Trump declared Warmbier's treatment a "total disgrace".

It was another strongly worded warning to North Korea, but given the administration's different statements, it's unclear what it will do next.

"Despite many years of urging North Korea to cease its unsafe and risky behaviour, it has continued to test ballistic missiles, it's continued its nuclearisation program, so we welcome any new, fresh ideas that the new administration has in dealing with North Korea". The route to inflicting significant economic pain on Kim's government remains through China.

Washington has one threat it can use with Beijing: The possibility of "secondary" sanctions that go after Chinese companies doing business in North Korea.

North Korea conducts about 90 percent of its trade through China, which maintains that it implements the United Nations sanctions properly.