North Korea, China in focus as Tillerson starts Asia trip in Tokyo

However, he didn’t explain what this approach might be and only told North Korea that it “need not fear” the U.S.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson began his two-day trip to South Korea on Friday, which is expected to focus on discussing ways to strengthen the bilateral alliance and fend off the growing threats from North Korea.

Mr. Tillerson visited Japan on Thursday, meeting Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida.

The sanctions now levied against Pyongyang are among the most stringent ever enacted, but the pace of both North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs appear to be speeding up. Tillerson described the weapons programs as “dangerous and unlawful”. But it was the first trip by the new Trump administration’s senior diplomat.

On March 6, Pyongyang launched four ballistic missiles, one of which landed about 200 km north of the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture. Pyongyang claims the drills are a rehearsal for invasion.

In addition to reassurances on dealing with Pyongyang’s repeated missile and nuclear tests, the former oil executive is also expected to press China to help restrain North Korea, while America’s allies will be looking to see how the new US administration deals with Beijing’s growing economic and military clout.

But none of these issues are as fraught or potentially risky as the situation with Pyongyang, which seems to have accelerated its nuclear program in the last few months with the aim of perfecting a nuclear weapon and the means to deliver it as far as the US.

Analysts say when it comes to North Korea policy, there are few new options to try.

After Trump suggested during his campaign that he would be willing to talk to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, many speculated that talks would be forthcoming. He spoke through a translator.

“America has provided $1.3 billion in assistance (to North Korea) since 1995”.

Four more test blasts have followed, two of them a year ago.

Any hopes that reporters might see him in action on this Asia trip were dashed, however, when it emerged he wouldn’t be bringing the state department press corps along.

Chas Freeman, a retired diplomat who served as the USA ambassador to Saudi Arabia and as the lead interpreter for former President Richard Nixon’s 1972 visit to China, said Tillerson’s low-key style might be a survival tactic. He said his trip was meant to get input from other governments.

“Under the current circumstances, we believe that (China’s proposal) is the only correct, rational, feasible plan so far”, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said.

Kishida, meanwhile, thanked Tillerson for USA backing.

The United States has deployed the Thaad missile defence system (that’s Terminal High Altitude Area Defence) in South Korea to defend it from nuclear attack. During his congressional confirmation hearings in January, Tillerson set the stage for a possible clash with China, saying it should be barred from artificial islands it has built in the South China Sea. During his election campaign, Trump repeatedly threatened to pull out United States forces unless Japan and South Korea paid more for hosting them. Washington has been urging the two nations to step security co-operation despite their historically strained relations.

Some Japanese government officials are therefore wary.

But it is China, as North Korea’s only ally on earth, which holds the power to affect change.

“We encourage both sides to approach that agreement in honest, and sincere efforts to bring this to a conclusion”, Tillerson said.

And China has its own problems with USA trade policy.