This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-22131316

The article has changed 12 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 3 Version 4
John Kerry visits China to press Beijing over N Korea John Kerry visits China to press Beijing over N Korea
(about 3 hours later)
US Secretary of State John Kerry is in China, for a visit he has said he will use to urge Beijing to use its influence to rein in North Korea. US Secretary of State John Kerry is visiting China, in an attempt to urge Beijing to use its influence over North Korea to reduce regional tensions.
Speaking to President Xi Jinping in Beijing, Mr Kerry said the world was facing a "critical time".
Mr Kerry's four-day tour of Asia comes amid speculation that North Korea is preparing for a missile launch.Mr Kerry's four-day tour of Asia comes amid speculation that North Korea is preparing for a missile launch.
In South Korea on Friday, he said that a policy of denuclearisation shared by the US and China had to have "teeth".
The US says there is no evidence North Korea can fire a nuclear warhead as suggested by a leaked US report.The US says there is no evidence North Korea can fire a nuclear warhead as suggested by a leaked US report.
North Korea has reportedly moved at least two Musudan ballistic missiles to its east coast.North Korea has reportedly moved at least two Musudan ballistic missiles to its east coast.
A flurry of warlike statements from Pyongyang has prompted speculation that it might launch a missile - possibly on 15 April, when the country marks the 101st birthday of the nation's founder and former leader, Kim Il-sung.A flurry of warlike statements from Pyongyang has prompted speculation that it might launch a missile - possibly on 15 April, when the country marks the 101st birthday of the nation's founder and former leader, Kim Il-sung.
Since the UN imposed fresh sanctions on North Korea in February, its leadership has promised to restart a mothballed nuclear reactor, has shut an emergency military hotline to South Korea, and has urged diplomatic staff to leave, saying it cannot guarantee their safety.Since the UN imposed fresh sanctions on North Korea in February, its leadership has promised to restart a mothballed nuclear reactor, has shut an emergency military hotline to South Korea, and has urged diplomatic staff to leave, saying it cannot guarantee their safety.
The North says it has also been angered by joint US-South Korean military exercises.The North says it has also been angered by joint US-South Korean military exercises.
Though North Korean rhetoric has been more bellicose than usual, analysts say it fits a long-standing pattern, and may be intended to boost the popularity of Kim Jong-un, who came to power last year.Though North Korean rhetoric has been more bellicose than usual, analysts say it fits a long-standing pattern, and may be intended to boost the popularity of Kim Jong-un, who came to power last year.
'Defuse this tension''Defuse this tension'
Mr Kerry arrived in Beijing on Saturday and is holding talks with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi before meeting Premier Li Keqiang and President Xi Jinping. After arriving in Beijing on Saturday and holding talks with his counterpart, Wang Yi, Mr Kerry told Mr Xi the world was facing "a critical time with some very challenging issues".
Among them were Korean tensions but also "the challenge of Iran and nuclear weapons, Syria and the Middle East, and economies around the world that are in need of a boost", he said.
On Friday, during a visit to the South Korean capital, Seoul, Mr Kerry said the US would protect itself and its allies, and that his talks in Beijing would aim to "lay out a path that will defuse this tension".On Friday, during a visit to the South Korean capital, Seoul, Mr Kerry said the US would protect itself and its allies, and that his talks in Beijing would aim to "lay out a path that will defuse this tension".
"I think it's clear to everybody in the world that no country in the world has as close a relationship or as significant an impact on [North Korea] than China," he said. He said no country had a closer relationship with Pyongyang than China.
China, like the US, wanted denuclearisation, he said, adding: "If that's your policy, you've got to put some teeth into it." Beijing, like Washington, wanted denuclearisation on the peninsula, he said, adding: "If that's your policy, you've got to put some teeth into it."
The BBC's John Sudworth, reporting from Seoul, says Mr Kerry is likely to tell Chinese leaders that unless they do more to rein in North Korea, the US will be obliged to keep on focussing strategically on the region - something that makes China nervous. He warned North Korean against any missile launch, saying it would be a "provocation and unwanted act" which would further isolate North Korea and its people who, he said "are desperate for food, not missile launches".
But correspondents say that it is unclear whether Beijing has the political will to do so, and that while Beijing is growing increasingly frustrated with Pyongyang, it is likely to continue supporting the status quo, rather than risk creating instability across its border. China is North Korea's only ally and major trading partner, but has grown increasingly frustrated with its growing belligerence.
Mr Kerry warned North Korean against any launch, saying to do so would "be choosing wilfully to ignore the entire international community" and a "provocation and unwanted act". The BBC's Celia Hatton in Beijing said Mr Kerry will be pressuring China to use its economic leverage to force its rebellious ally to tone down its threats.
He warned Mr Kim a launch would "further isolate his country and further isolate his people, who frankly are desperate for food, not missile launches." But in turn, China is pushing the US to do more to make North Korea feel secure, says our correspondent.
"Kim Jong-un needs to understand - and I think he probably does - what the outcome of a conflict would be," Mr Kerry added. In Seoul, Mr Kerry voiced his support for the vision of a reunified Korean peninsula - so far a development neither Chinese nor Korean leadership want to see, she adds.
Russia, which has expressed growing concern over North Korea, said on Friday that it had issued "an urgent appeal" to Pyongyang "to refrain from actions which could lead to further escalation of tension". Russia has also expressed growing concern over North Korea and said on Friday that it had issued "an urgent appeal" to Pyongyang "to refrain from actions which could lead to further escalation of tension".
Some estimates suggest that the missiles North Korea has moved to its east coast could travel 4,000km (2,500 miles), although it is not believed that the Musudan has been tested before.Some estimates suggest that the missiles North Korea has moved to its east coast could travel 4,000km (2,500 miles), although it is not believed that the Musudan has been tested before.
That reach would put US bases on the Pacific island of Guam within range.That reach would put US bases on the Pacific island of Guam within range.
A declassified section of a report from the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) report had warned there was "moderate" confidence that Pyongyang had developed the technology to mount a nuclear warhead on a missile.A declassified section of a report from the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) report had warned there was "moderate" confidence that Pyongyang had developed the technology to mount a nuclear warhead on a missile.
But Mr Kerry played down the report, and White House spokesman Jay Carney said Pyongyang had "not demonstrated the capability to deploy a nuclear-armed missile".But Mr Kerry played down the report, and White House spokesman Jay Carney said Pyongyang had "not demonstrated the capability to deploy a nuclear-armed missile".